Once Upon a Fairy Tail
by GrayBlueSky
Summary: They didn't meet by accident, for their paths were meant to cross for a reason. He'd be her savior and she'd become his strength and weakness. Not the typical Fairy Tale, this is the tale of the destined meeting of a Dragon and a Princess. Based on Disney movies.
1. Don't You Cry

**Once Upon a Fairy Tail**

 **Chapter 1: Don** **'** **t You Cry**

 _All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. -Walt Disney_

* * *

In a land far, far away, lies the Kingdom of Fiore, a small peaceful nation of 17 million, and a place where magic is rare. Only a few can claim to be a magic user. And those few, are feared by many. All that is different, all that is unknown, always causes fear and may lead to turmoil. However, the kind and fair Queen, Layla Heartfilia, was a wizard herself. She proclaimed that wizards were not to be feared, for they were just like everyone else. The Queen came to symbolize hope and love to both magic users and non magic users. She brought harmony and peace to her Kingdom. Both the King and Queen could only hope their daughter would one day come to symbolize the same to their Kingdom.

In this Kingdom, however, darkness lurks in the shadows. And though the fair Queen would not witness it's unrest, the Princess would. Throughout the Kingdom ran rumors of a man named Zeref, that was said to be the darkest, most evil Mage of the nation. Creating many Demons, as it was said that he had mastered the Black Arts, this dark wizard's Demons were to wreak havoc in the Kingdom. And only one man would be able to defeat this evil Mage. A Hero would soon be born and save the Kingdom from despair. And Zeref will await the day this man grows strong enough to defeat him. His name… is Natsu Dragneel.

* * *

 _July 7, X777_

His bare feet pounded against the hard ground. He had no idea where he was going or how long he had been running. He was blinded by the tears gathering in his eyes, his bottom lip trembling as he yelled, "Igneel!"

The people in the small town he had been searching, turned to stare at the small boy with raised eyebrows and whispers. It was dark outside already. He had been searching all day. He had woken up in the forest like every other day, expecting to be curled up against his father. But the large Dragon had been nowhere to be found. He had just… disappeared. He didn't understand why or how.

"Where are you, Igneel!" He yelled again. His search became frantic as he ran through town, feeling both scared and unsure as he was completely out of his element. He had never been surrounded by so many people. Different faces turned to stare at the young boy with questioning glances. The tears finally rolled down his cheeks as he looked around the crowd that now stared at him with concern. The boy pushed away from the crowd, continuing his search and ignoring those who tried to question him.

His small, sweaty hand held tightly to the scale-patterned scarf his father had given him, his other hand rubbing his eyes.

As hard as he tried, the tears just wouldn't stop, blinding him and making his feet stumble clumsily, his face and chest abruptly crashing into the hard ground. At that moment, while he laid on the ground, all he wanted was to scream, cry out, but all that escaped his lips was a fatigued, shallow breath.

He sat up slowly, his legs curling up against his chest and his arms wrapped tightly around his legs. He hid his crying face against his legs, his cries making his small body shake. People walked around him, some spoke to him others ignored him. It was all a blur to him. He could only hear his cries being muffled by his legs. He just wanted to be with his father. He wanted to feel safe again. He didn't like this feeling. He hated this feeling… Fear. Weakness. Loneliness.

An older couple had been walking through that same town that same night. The short woman carried a paper bag filled with groceries close to her chest, humming a song as she and her husband walked home. The old, short, white haired man smiled over at his wife, enjoying the peaceful night Magnolia had offered to them.

However, they both stopped when they saw a little boy sitting in the middle of the street, the crowd of people before them just passing by him, some stopping to glance his way before continuing on.

"Oh my…" The old woman whispered, frowning as she stared at the pink haired boy. "Poor boy. He must be lost." She felt something tighten in her chest, turning to her husband who frowned when he saw the look in her eyes.

"We have to help him." She whispered and the old man sighed, knowing there was no means in arguing with his wife when she set her mind to something.

She handed the paper bag she held onto to her husband before she approached the boy. Walking after her, Makarov watched as she crouched beside the boy, a warm and inviting smile on her face as she said, "Hey little one."

The boy glanced up at her, tears sliding down his cheeks. "Is something wrong? Can I be of any help?" She placed a comforting hand on his shaking back, wanting the boy to feel safe and trust her enough to open up to her.

His small hands rolled up into fists by his sides and he looked away from the old woman, mumbling, "I can't find Igneel." Fresh tears spilled his eyes and her eyes widened.

At the mentioning of that name, Makarov perked up, suddenly very interested in the boy before him. "How do you know this Igneel?" He questioned.

The boy looked up at the old man, glaring at him as he proudly stated, "Igneel's my father!"

Makarov raised an eyebrow, not sure whether to believe the brat or not. His wife seemed to believe him, patting the boy's back and smiling as she told him, "When was the last time you saw him?"

The boy sniffed, "Yesterday. But this morning, he was just gone. I've been looking for him all day." He glared down at the ground. "It's not like it's easy for him to hide! He's a huge, red Dragon! So I should have easily found him!"

The woman's eyes widened at the boy's words, looking up at her husband in question. When he nodded, she realized she hadn't misheard the boy. He had really said dragon.

Stepping towards the boy, Makarov sighed as he stated, "We'll go to the spot you last saw your father tomorrow and see if he has returned. It's late now, so we should head home and sleep. You're probably tired from running around all day. You look like you need a shower and you must be starving." The boy's stomach growled then and he blushed, turning his head to the side.

Giggling, the woman stood up slowly, offering the boy her hand. "Let's go home then."

The boy stared at her hand with with wide eyes that seemed to grow in size as he stared at them. Tentatively, he took her hand, letting her pull him up to his feet.

Once they arrived to the couple's small and cozy home, Natsu grinned. Gripping the woman's hand tightly, he finally felt safe again. He knew he'd soon find Igneel with the help of this kind couple and everything would be back to normal. Well, at least he hoped that'd be the case.

The kind old woman prepared dinner for the two, calling for her grandson as they stepped into the kitchen. "Laxus, sweetie, we're home!"

A tall, blonde teenager stepped out from the small home, smiling down at his grandmother. "Hey Gran."

The older woman grinned up at him, "Did you already have something for dinner?"

The teenager shook his head, glancing at the kitchen table where his grandfather sat at with a small boy. He raised an eyebrow. "Who's the kid?"

His grandmother had been slicing the vegetables as she glanced at the boy and frowned. "We found him all by himself in the middle of town. I just didn't have the heart to leave him there."

Laxus nodded. His grandmother had always been a big hearted woman. The two soon joined the boy and the old man at the table, enjoying the dinner she had prepared.

The blonde teenager took the seat beside the kid, asking, "What's your name brat?"

Slamming his fist on the table, the boy stated hotly, "Well it's not brat!" Makarov yelled at the boy while Laxus smirked. "It's Natsu! Natsu Dragneel! Son of Igneel and the strongest Dragon Slayer you'll ever meet!"

Laxus raised an eyebrow at the brat's confidence before he snorted. "Yeah right." Natsu glared at him. The teen was surprised he'd finally met another dragon slayer. He knew there must have been others like him, he just hadn't thought of ever coming across any of them. "Sorry kid, but I'm the strongest Dragon Slayer."

Natsu's eyes widened, sparkling as they stared at the older boy beside him. "Fight me!" He yelled, standing on his chair with his hands curled into fists before him. They lightened with fire and Laxus shook with laughter, Makarov shaking his head, while his wife giggled.

Later that night, Natsu sat on the couch, where he'd be sleeping. He stared out the window, looking at the star filled sky. His small hands shook as they curled tightly onto the blanket that covered him.

He wanted to be with Igneel. He really missed him. Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes and he quickly rubbed them away, not wanting Laxus to see him and mock him for being a cry baby.

"Natsu?" The teary eyed boy looked up to see the old woman approach him. She sat on the couch, running her hand through the boy's hair. "Can't sleep?"

Shaking his head, Natsu looked down and sniffed. "I want to find Igneel, Gran." Tears slid down his cheeks. Her eyes widened at the nickname she'd only ever heard from her grandson. Her heart warmed. "I just have a feeling he won't be there tomorrow."

She pulled him into her arms, hugging him tightly against her chest. He shook as he quietly sobbed against her chest. She whispered soothing words to him, rubbing his back.

She then began to sing softly, getting Natsu to drift off to sleep, his chest warming with her soft voice and loving words. Her wrinkled and warm hand held tightly onto his soft and small one as he finally drifted to sleep, dreaming of a large, red dragon that was waiting for him in the forest, yelling at him for going off without permission.

 _Come stop your crying_

 _It will be alright_

 _Just take my hand_

 _Hold it tight_

 _I will protect you from all around you_

 _I will be here_

 _Don_ _'_ _t you cry_

Smiling a she stared at the sleeping boy breath evenly, she tried to stand, but his small hand held tightly onto hers. Her eyes widened, staring at the child she held as he whispered, "Please don't leave me too."

Frowning, she whispered, "I'm not going anywhere Natsu." The boy smiled in his sleep, nodding.

 _For one so small,_

 _You seem so strong_

The next day, as he had suspected, his father was not there. But Natsu was very persistent, and went back everyday, sometimes waiting there for hours, his new family once in awhile staying with him, Gran making a picnic for them as they sat there, waiting to see if a large dragon appeared.

Makarov watched the boy, half expecting him to break down as they walked away from the forest, once again unsuccessful to find the Dragon. But the boy only stood taller, his head raised high. He was going to find Igneel, it didn't matter how long he would have to wait. He'd be strong. If he wasn't, Igneel would never be proud. He had not shed tears after that first night, but he'd sometimes wake up in the middle of the night, after having a nightmare about never seeing Igneel again. His heart would beat hard against his ribcage, and Gran would come after he'd call, singing to him softly as he slept the nightmares away with her soothing voice.

He'd train day and night, becoming a strong Dragon Slayer, though he was a hot head who went overboard all the time and couldn't control his power as well as Laxus could. All he wanted, was to make his father proud.

Looking out the window, his spiky, pink hair blew with the wind. He grinned up at the star filled night whispering, "I'll become the greatest and strongest Dragon Slayer, Pops. You'll see! I'll definitely become a hero! You'll hear of me throughout the land! And finally, we'll be able to meet again."

It was his dream, one Laxus had snickered at, but he was definitely going to make a reality. He would make everyone in this town finally respect him, he would make them look up at him, he'd finally show them he could be so much more than just a 'Street Rat.' He'd go the distance, no matter how far, to find his father! He'd do anything… To get his warm, great welcome… The crowds cheering his name instead of yelling at him for another of his destructions or disruptions in town.

"I'll make you proud, Igneel, Gran."

* * *

 _July 7, X777_ In the Kingdom of Fiore…

"Princess!"

 _Ignore them. Just keep running. Run faster, Lucy! You have to see her. You have to!_

The little girl held tightly to the folds of her dress as she ran through the long corridors of the huge Castle. She breathed hard, her heart hammering in her chest, tears blinding her as they pooled in her eyes, slowly sliding down her cheeks.

She tripped a couple of times, her dress getting in the way, but she'd quickly pick herself up, continuing running towards the large doors of her mother's chamber.

Getting sick of her shoes, she stopped and took them off, her hands shaking as she quickly discarded them and dropped them to the floor. Her bare feet made slapping sounds on the marble floor as she continued running down the hallway.

"Mama…" She whispered, a knot on her throat as tears gathered in her eyes. "Please… Please don't leave me Mama!"

Finally, the massive doors that led to her mother's chamber came to view down the long hallway. There were two knights stationed before the doors, and they both glanced at each other when they saw the Princess approach them. The King had ordered them to keep the Princess far away from this room. The older knight sighed, stepping in front of the young Princess. "You're not supposed to be here, Miss Lucy. We have orders from your father-"

"I need to see Mama!" She cried, trying to sidestep the knight but the other placed a hand to her shoulder, stopping her once again.

"Princess, you really shouldn't be here-"

"Just let her in!" The two knights turned around to see a blue haired mermaid standing before them.

"Aquarius!" The little girl smiled but then she frowned. "I don't remember summoning you…"

She 'ugh' and glared at the young girl. "I opened my own gate. I knew you'd be getting yourself into trouble, like always."

The Princess looked down sheepishly, playing with the folds of her skirt. "I just want to see Mama before…" She couldn't finish that thought, because she didn't want to believe that after today, she may never see her mother's bright smile ever again.

Aquarius sighed. "I know." The girl smiled up at her, the mermaid not returning the smile as she instead turned to the knights. "This idiot girl has the right to see her dying mother one last time."

The two knights sweat dropped as they stared at the mermaid, before the older knight nodded. "Alright, but you'll take full responsibility if her father asks for the reason to us breaking his orders."

The mermaid rolled her eyes, nodding. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever." She then looked down at the shaking small girl whose eyes were glued on the massive doors before her. Sighing, Aquarius muttered, "Well, aren't you going to see her?"

Lucy looked up at her Celestial Spirit, smiling softly. "Of course."

She took a few tentative steps towards the door, her small hand reaching for the cold doorknob. Glancing back at her strongest Spirit, Lucy smiled when she saw her nod, mouthing to her to not be scared.

Lucy stepped inside the half lit room. Thick black velvet curtains hid the windows, the fire simmering quietly in the corner, as it was the only source of light in the room.

A few maids ran across the room, bringing more towels and water to the Queen's trusted magic healer. The older, pink haired woman took what the maids brought to her, placing it in the Queen's nightstand. This woman… she didn't have much time left.

The King held tightly to his wife's hand, her nails sometimes digging into the skin of his hand as she grunted in pain.

The Princess stopped just as she had only walked a few steps into the room, letting the door slam shut. The maids jumped in surprise, turning to the Princes wide eyed.

"Princess! What are you doing here?!"

Lucy ignored them, as her sick mother groaned from her bed, her chest heaving as she twisted.

The King looked away from his suffering wife, staring at his daughter. The girl did not give a second glance to her father, as she stared wide eyed at her mother with terror. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her body shaking. She did not want to see her mother in so much pain. She didn't want her mother to have to go through this. It just… wasn't fair! Why was this happening to her mother?!

"Lucy…" Her father frowned as he stared at the innocent child. "You should not be here. I was very clear-"

He stopped when his wife's hand tightened on his, sitting up as much as she could to see her daughter. "Lucy… Sweetie…" Layla frowned when she saw her daughter's tears and heard her soft whimpers.

"Mama!" The Princess rushed to her mother's side, holding onto her free hand. Layla looked at her daughter in sadness, regretting causing her young daughter so much pain and grief.

Lucy stared at her mother, frowning when she noticed the sweat gathering on her forehead and chest. Her golden hair was soaking with perspiration as she writhed in pain. Waves of pain radiated from her body and her lovely face was again contorted in pain.

The maids stopped dead on what they were doing. Lucy held her breath as she heard a maid whisper, "Your Majesty…"

Porlyusica, the best healer of Fiore, hovered above the young Queen, wiping her forehead with cool clothes. The King whispered words of encouragement to his wife, his thumb drawing patterns on her cold and weakening hand.

The Queen glanced at her daughter, taking deep breaths as she untangled her hand from her daughter's and rubbed her hand on her daughter's soft cheek. "I'll always be with you Lucy." The Princess' eyes widened. No… No! Her mother couldn't say goodbye now! She didn't want to be separated from her! Lucy whimpered when her mother cleaned her tears away. "I'll be in your heart. Always."

Layla's brown eyes then shut tight, turning away from her daughter, her young body twisting and writhing in pain. The smooth skin of her face was contorted in pain as she screamed and screamed. The maids tried pulling Lucy away but the young Princess resisted, not wanting to leave her mother's side.

The King yelled at the healer, telling her to do something to lessen the pain. Porlyusica frowned, shaking her head at his demands. "Her body is too fragile and weak. There's nothing else I can do."

Lucy's heartbeat roared in her ears. Her eyes wide in fright and her shaking, small hands coming up to cover her mouth. "No…" There was nothing left she could do…?

Porlyusica stepped back from the Queen's bed, frowning as she watched the young Princess hold tightly onto her mother's arm. The Queen didn't have much time left. It was a miracle that she was still alive. The olde healer looked down. She had warned the human not to overuse her magic, but alas, she was reckless and stubborn as always.

Layla kissed the top of her daughter's head, her hand clutching tightly onto her husband's hand as she frowned up at him. Jude looked away, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. This was goodbye.

"I love you, Lucy. I love you so much." Layla whispered as her daughter hugged her arm tightly, crying on her shoulder. "I know you'll be a wonderful Celestial Spirit Mage that will treasure her spirits and treat them as friends. They're not tools, sweetie, always remember that." Lucy shook as fresh tears rolled down her flushed cheeks. "I know you'll one day be a respectful and loving Queen." She stopped, rubbing her daughter's back. "But… If your wishes are not between these walls, please Lucy, do not falter, go off and fulfill all your heart's desires." She kissed the crown of her daughter's head. "I'm so proud of you Lucy. Never change. Always remember…" Her body trembled, her hands getting colder than before. Her sight became hazy and she glanced up at her husband one last time, smiling before she looked back down at her daughter. "Always remember that Mama loves you. I'll always be right here." She tapped her chest, just above her heart. Lucy looked up at her mother with wide eyes, watching her smile one last time. "Always."

Her pulse slowly faded, and the maids looked away as the King gave out a cry of despair and the Princess cried in agony. "Mama!"

As the Queen's eyes closed and her warmth soon disappeared, the maids finally stepped up to the crying Princess, pulling her away from her mother's lifeless body.

Lucy kicked and wriggled in the maid's arms, trying to break free and run back to her mother's side. The King watched her daughter and then turned to the maids, shaking his head. He stepped away from his dead wife and watched as maids walked to the dead Queen.

The Princess was carried away to her bedroom, the maids locking her in. "Let me out!" Lucy cried out, hitting her fists to the door. "Please! I want to be with Mama! Let me out! Please! Papa! Let me out!"

After what felt like hours of crying out for someone to let her out, the Princess' throat became sore and she rested her back to the door, sliding down to the floor as she shook and softly cried onto the folds of her dress.

Slowly, Lucy glanced up, her eyes red and puffy from crying so much. She looked around her large bedroom, remembering the laughs and warm moments she had spent with her loving mother. She stood up, looking around her room. Her heart hurt. She wanted her mother.

She stopped in front of the doors that opened to her balcony. She peeked out the entry to the balcony and saw the garden. More memories clouded her mind. She could just picture the warm, summer evenings, running through the maze as her mother chased after her, giggling uncontrollably.

Lucy looked away, her hand squeezing over her chest. She blew on the candles that lightened her bedroom and crawled up on her huge bed. She laid there, curled up as her vision became blurry, tears spilling as she remembered her mother's last words. She'd make her mother proud! She wouldn't let her down! She'll become the greatest Celestial Spirit Mage of this land, she will bring hope and unity to her Kingdom! And… and she'll fulfill all her heart's desires.

Staring at the window, Lucy smiled as she stared at the star filled sky. If she were to fulfill her heart's desires, she'd never bring honor to her Kingdom. For what she wanted, was to be far away from these walls that surrounded her.

Sitting up, Lucy walked to the bathroom, pulling one of her keys as she summoned Aquarius.

The mermaid glared down at the Princess, all too ready to yell at the girl for summoning her from her sink, but stopped when she heard the soft whimpers. Aquarius frowned, looking away. Her previous owner had just died after all. The girl had just lost her mother.

"Aqu-arius." The girl choked between cries. "Why… Why can't I stop crying, Aquarius?" She hugged the mermaid's tail, her Spirit's frown deepening. "I want these tears to stop!"

The blue haired mermaid patted the blonde head as affectionately as she could. "I don't know, brat. I really don't know."

Aquarius held onto the crying Princess for a few minutes before she pulled her to her bed. She helped the Princess to bed, combing her head as she sung softly to her. Lucy's cheeks flushed as she curled onto the mermaid's side, enjoying her beautiful voice and loving lyrics. The Princess fell asleep that night with a small smile on her face.

 _My arms will hold you_

 _Keep you safe and warm_

 _This bond between us can_ _'_ _t be broken_

 _I will be here_

 _Don_ _'_ _t you cry_

The following day, the entire Kingdom mourned their Queen's death. That day, Lucy did not shed a single tear. She was done crying. As the Princess of Fiore, she should look strong for her Kingdom. She should represent grace and utmost confidence in her Kingdom. She should not waver or falter. She should always stand tall with confidence and power in front of the people of her Kingdom. Never show fear or despair. She needed to be strong. Even when she really wasn't. Even when all she wanted was to run off to the warmth and safeness of her bedroom, where she could ignore the cries and words of condolence over her mother's death.

The Princess promised her mother to become a strong and respectful role model for her Kingdom. And that's exactly what she'd do. Everyday she'll try harder, become stronger, encounter a new challenge and overcome it. That was what a Princess should do. That's what she must do. But is being a Princess what her heart desires? She did not have an answer, though she tried to convince herself that it was what she wanted.

She continued studying magic everyday, even when her father prohibited her to do so. She didn't understand why he hated magic so much when her mother had loved and treasured it. Lucy did not like disobeying her father, but her Spirits and magic were the force and drive that made her want to stand from bed every day. They encouraged her to keep going everyday, helping her overcome every obstacle that crossed her path.

However, the Kingdom's walls lost their appeal long ago. She wanted to explore the world outside these walls. She dreamed of adventures, of meeting new people, creating new friendships, seeing the outside world that she would one day rule over. How could she become the strong and loving Queen her Kingdom deserved if she had yet to step outside the Castle?

Her long blonde hair blew out of her face as she stood out in her balcony, staring up at the star filled night sky. She glanced at the wall that surrounded the Castle she felt trapped and caged in, her eyes going beyond the outskirts of the wall, to the town of Crocus just outside the Kingdom's wall. What was it like there? What she would give to leave these walls. To explore the unknown and be part of a world so different from her own. She rested her chin on her palm, staring at the town and smiling. How she wished to walk the streets of the town without anyone telling her what to do or how to dress. To just be free! To do what she wished!

She was almost certain it'd be a dazzling place filled with adventures. No one would be there to reprimand her or tell her she's only dreaming. She'd be free and herself. She'd fulfill all that her heart desired…

Smiling sadly, Lucy glanced up at the sky, a single tear sliding down her right cheek. "I'll make you proud, Mama. I promise."

* * *

At that moment the Princess and the Dragon Slayer made a promise to fulfill their dreams, no matter what. Both smiling up at the stars as courage fueled their body and soul.

 _An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break._ _"_ _\- An ancient Chinese belief_

* * *

A dark haired, young man sat alone in an island under a tree. He stared at his doings, the destroyed forest before him. He could hear a small creature making its way towards him, and he was unfazed when it ran up his shoulder. The Dark Mage looked down at it before his eyes closed.

"It indeed was a great loss." The young man muttered. His eyes slowly opened, staring at the blue sky. "The Queen's death… Such a courageous mage."

He sensed something behind him, but he didn't have to turn, for there was no one behind him. "Though I cannot see you, Mavis, I can feel your presence."

He closed his eyes, picturing the small, blonde girl with long wavy hair he had loved oh so many years ago.

The spirit of the girl frowned down at the Dark Mage. "Zeref…"

"I'll meet him soon Mavis." He stated. "He'll soon be strong enough to defeat me. He's the only one that can stop me once and for all." He smiled down at the grass. "How much longer? How much longer until our paths finally cross again, Natsu?"

* * *

 **Author** **'** **s Note** : Like, hate it, love it? Please a review and let me know!

Okay, so I've had the idea for this story for the longest time and couldn't help writing the first chapter. No worries, I'm already working on the second chapter! I really enjoyed writing this first chapter and am very pleased to how it turned out. Hopefully you all enjoyed it as well.

This story is pretty much centered around Natsu and Lucy but I will focus on other major couples as well. And as you may have noticed, each character will be based on a Disney character or two ;) With my own little spin. This story is the result of me watching one too many YouTube AMVs of Fairy Tail Disney songs. Lol.

Thank you for reading! Review and let me know what you thought!

Song: Disney's Tarzan You'll be In My Heart by Phil Collins

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail is owned by Hiro Mashima! Disney characters, songs and ideas used in this story are all owned by Walt Disney Studios!

~ Blue ~


	2. Crossing Paths

**Once Upon a Fairy Tail**

 **Chapter 2: Crossing Paths**

 _There comes a day when I don't have to be a princess. No rules, no expectations. A day where anything can happen. A day where I can change my fate. -Merida (Disney Pixar's Brave)_

* * *

 _ **Year X784**_

"Stupid Macao." Natsu grumbled. "He'd promised we'd have the day off."

The blue cat on top of his head nodded, weakly mumbling, "Aye." He made himself comfortable on his partner's pink head, whispering, "We had planned to go out fishing today."

Natsu sighed. "Yeah, I know." He looked straight ahead, passing through the gates, the knights guarding the entrance inspecting him and what he carried. "Sorry, little buddy. We'll go next time, I promise."

The cat was only able to nod, closing his eyes as Natsu walked passed the entrance and towards their destination.

The teenager was making his way towards the training grounds of Fiore's castle. This was the second time he had ever walked passed the Kingdom's gates. Of course, it had been passed the back entrance. He had never set a foot inside the castle.

Looking up, Natsu stared at the large castle. How was it there? How'd it be to have everyone respect you and look up at you? He shook those thoughts away. A life of royalty was not the life he wanted… Yet, he couldn't help wonder.

Turning away, Natsu continued walking through the yard, watching as servants scurried past him, attending to the various needs such a large castle would demand.

The early morning air was cool, Natsu's pink, messy hair and scale- patterned scarf blowing slightly with the cool breeze.

He stopped once he finally reached the training fense. The blue cat opened his eyes tiredly, one paw rubbing his eyes as he asked, "Do you think Laxus will be here?"

Natsu shrugged, not really caring whether that lightning freak was there or not. He really didn't feel like seeing him or hearing his usual nagging.

Looking up, the blue cat stared in awe at the fence surrounding the training grounds. The fencing made the area a circular prison. It was huge!

"What can I do for you, boy?" A tall, royal knight wearing silver armor asked Natsu, his eyes going to the crate of weapons he had been carrying.

"I'm here to deliver this shipment of weapons to the royal knights of Fiore. I work for the blacksmith of Magnolia, Macao Conbolt." Natsu answered.

The knight nodded. "We had been expecting the blacksmith to deliver these himself." He eyed the pink haired boy, who then shrugged.

"You and I both. Something came up and at the last moment he requested for me to deliver them instead." Natsu rolled his eyes as he thought about the pervy, old man he worked for. That old bastard had gone out drinking the night before and was in no condition to travel.

The knight chuckled, waving his hand at Natsu to follow him. The boy followed the taller man passed the gate leading into the training grounds.

The blue cat's eyes widened as he watched and heard metal scraping against metal, the knights sparring.

"Elfman!" The knight before Natsu called, watching as a taller, muscular- almost monstrous looking- man walked up to them.

"What is it?" The white haired man asked, looking down and noticing Natsu. He grinned as soon as he did.

"Well, look who we have here!" He dropped a muscular and heavy arm on Natsu's shoulders, making him grunt. "How'd you been, Natsu?"

"Good, I guess." Natsu shrugged and Elfman nodded.

He glanced down at the crate of weapons Natsu carried, glancing back up at Natsu as he asked, "Whatcha doing here?"

"I came to deliver these weapons." He stared down at the crate and he murmured, "Macao was supposed to bring them instead but you know how he gets when he goes out drinking with Wakaba and Cana."

"Drinking 'till you drop is manly!" Elfman declared and Natsu rolled his eyes, Elfman's usual man talk finally appearing. The larger man took the heavy crate from Natsu then, saying, "The Captain will probably want to check these before you leave. You know, make sure Macao didn't forget anything we may have asked for."

Natsu nodded, watching the knight whom he had met at the entrance go off to search for their Captain. Looking around the training area, Natsu observed, "This place doesn't look as big as I remember it…"

Elfman chuckled, "Yeah, well the last time you were here you were a little brat." Natsu rolled his eyes.

"You know, Elfman, we're the same age. So you were a damn brat back then as well!"

"Yeah, but I looked manlier. Still do."

Elfman laughed loudly when Natsu glared up at him. His fingers were twitching to curl up into fists and slam them into the manly freak's face. But all those thoughts disappeared when he saw two knights approach them. He knew both of them. One, he had only met once. The first and last time he had been in this very same room. The other, he had unfortunately known since his father had disappeared.

"Well isn't this surprising. Who'd ever thought you'd ever end up here again?" The tall blond mocked and Natsu crossed his arms over his chest, glaring up at him with his hands already curling up into fists.

"You better shut the hell up, Laxus, if you don't want this place to end up like the last time I was here." Laxus grinned widely, all too ready to get the boy before him fired up enough to give a show, but only chuckled, shaking his head as he muttered, "You never learn, Natsu."

The man standing beside Laxus chuckled as well. He wore a similar armor to Elfman's and Laxus's but instead of only being silver, it had some blue designs around it, tying the whole thing together with a long, blue cape.

Natsu glanced up at the blue haired man, and then quickly looked away. He had been one of the few to not mock him back then, when he had come to train to become a knight as a child. It had been Laxus's idea- a stupid one at that. What was the fun of being a knight if using magic was prohibited? He didn't understand how Laxus could go days without using and practicing his magic. Natsu had, of course, not been able to take it, and completely exploded, destroying part of the training grounds with his outburst. It had just been too much for him to take. His magic was a part of him, he couldn't even go a day without using it. And of course, he had not lasted a day in training to become a knight. Not like he wanted to stay here another day. He had hated the few hours he had been here.

The blue haired man, whose name Natsu vaguely remembered being Jellal, asked Elfman to lower the crate so he could inspect the weapons.

The Captain took one of the swords, inspecting it before he turned to Natsu and grinned. "Please do tell Macao that he is getting extremely better at this. I'm glad the King accepted my suggestion to order our weapons from Macao. His swords have lasted us longer than any others we've ordered from the other blacksmiths." He glanced over at Natsu and chuckled. "I'm sure with you helping him out, it makes sense."

Natsu puffed up his chest, proudly stating, "Of course! That old drunk would be lost without me!"

Laxus smacked him upside the head, rolling his eyes at the big mouthed idiot. "Talking big like always, kid."

Natsu winced from the blow, glaring up at the other Dragon Slayer. "You wanna go, lightning freak!?"

"Not really. I don't like wasting my time." A vein popped on Natsu's forehead, throwing a punch at Laxus but he dodged it easily.

Jellal sighed, closing the crate Natsu had delivered to them.

"Do you want me to take them to the back room, Captain?" Elfman asked the blue haired knight, who nodded.

As Elfman went off to the back of the training grounds, Happy raised his tired head. He had been interested to see who the Captain was. He was surprised to see it was the young looking, blue haired man.

"You look too young to be the Captain." He blurted out without thinking and Jellal laughed.

"I guess I am a little young to be the Captain." He shrugged. "But the King believes I am capable of such a huge responsibility to my Kingdom."

Laxus chuckled, dropping an arm around his Captain's armed shoulders. "He's the best knight this Kingdom has ever witnessed, Happy. He deserves being Captain. Although, I still think that I am as great of a knight as he is. So… I too could take the title." He grinned when Jellal rolled his eyes, pushing his arm from his shoulders. He looked over at the blond and Laxus's grin widened when he saw the light in his Captain's eyes.

"Care if I prove you wrong in a match or two?" He took his sword that hanged from his hip, Laxus doing the same.

"Ready to lose, Captain?" Laxus mocked.

Jellal shook his head. "Never."

Before Laxus left after his Captain, he quickly looked back at the pink haired boy. "Gramps will probably want to see you. You know, since the only times we ever hear of you is when you're getting yourself into trouble back in Magnolia." Natsu glared down at the floor, but still nodded. "You could probably stop by our house tonight." Laxus shrugged.

Sighing, Natsu nodded again. "Yeah, sure."

Laxus grinned, waving his sword before rushing off to the middle of the training grounds, where his Captain stood.

Natsu watched Laxus and Jellal go for a few rounds, the Captain coming out victor more times than not. The pink haired teen could tell that Laxus was barely keeping up. Every step, every movement the Captain took, seemingly mapped out and executed. Grinning, Natsu looked away, walking out of the training grounds.

"Makarov and Laxus won't finish their duties to the Kingdom 'till dark. What will we do while we wait?" Happy asked from his partner's head.

Shrugging, Natsu muttered, "We could look around town. It's been awhile since we've visited Crocus." Happy smiled, nodding. Just then, both their stomachs growled. They both sweat dropped, as they had yet to have breakfast.

"And we could get something to eat."

"Aye!"

* * *

The Princess sat up in her huge bed, letting the silk covers slide off her body, walking soundlessly to her bedroom window and looked out. She smiled brightly, a smile that reminded her father too much of her mother's, her eyes sparkling as they took in the beautiful scenery before her. The sky was a lovely blue and not a cloud was in the sky.

Birds flew passed her window, and the Princess suddenly wished that she too was as free as they were, even if it meant having to give up her crown. Shaking those thoughts away, the Princess walked back to her bed, sitting down again and taking the book her royal tutor, advisor and best friend had lent to her. Every morning she'd wake up a little earlier to get a chance to read. Her duties as a Princess were always put before anything else, so she sometimes couldn't even get a break to read for pleasure.

A little over an hour later the doors to her bedroom bursted open. Three maids were the first to step in. She smiled at them, standing from her bed and dropping the book she'd been reading on her bedside table. She walked across the room in her nightgown, the billowy fabric swinging softly against her legs with every step she took.

"Good morning, Princess!" The three maids bowed.

Lucy sighed. "How many times have I told you three to just call me Lucy?" They sweat dropped, looking down awkwardly. Giggling, Lucy sat down in front of her dressing table mirror. "Good morning."

The three smiled back, one making her way to fix the bed, while another brought the Princess a tray with her breakfast. Placing it down, she went off to help the other with the bed.

Lucy took a bowl of fruit from the tray, her cheeks flushing as she munched on a strawberry. Her smiled brightened when Yukino, her personal maid, stood behind her, brushing through Lucy's voluminous golden locks.

"Have you found the golden key you'd been searching for?" Lucy asked excitedly, making her personal maid flush.

She nodded and Lucy grinned. "I finally found it at a local shop." She dropped the brush atop the dressing table and bowed. "Thank you so much for locating it for me and letting me borrow the jewels to buy it!"

Lucy waved her hand in dismissal, smiling at Yukino through the mirror. "It's the least I could do for a fellow Celestial Spirit Mage!"

Yukino smiled at the Princess's kindness. Any other person would have taken the key for themselves. But not the Princess.

Laki and Kinana, when finished fixing the bed and cleaning around the bedroom, bowed behind the Princess, who thanked them for their help as they took the tray that had carried the Princess's breakfast. Yukino continued brushing Lucy's hair when just as the two maids had stepped out, two other girls stepped in.

"Good morning, Lu-chan!"

Lucy turned in her seat, smiling at her best friend. "Morning, Levy-chan!"

The two hugged, and Lucy glanced over her friend's shoulder to smile at the girl that had walked after her tutor.

"Ready for another day, Lucy?" The tall, red headed girl asked, carrying what seemed to be three different dresses.

Lucy sighed, nodding at her personal seamstress, smiling a small smile that didn't qute reach her eyes.

Erza stared at the princess for a moment longer before she nodded and quietly walked off to set the dresses down and placing them in Lucy's wardrobe. "Which dress appeals to you the most for today's duties, Lucy?"

Yukino walked over to Erza, her eyes bright as she looked over the gowns Erza had designed. "Beautiful as always!" She praised and Erza blushed, stuttering that they weren't _that_ beautiful.

Lucy giggled. Typical Erza.

Levy took out her notebook, in which she had written down Lucy's daily duties as the Princess of Fiore. "Today she'll be meeting with the King, so it must be an elegant gown."

Erza nodded, she took out one of the dresses she'd carried into the room minutes before. Lucy stared at the deep blue dress and smiled. "That one's perfect, Erza."

Yukino and Erza were soon pulling the corset around Lucy's waist, lacing it as tightly as they could. The corset pinched and dug into her skin and she bit back her tears, holding tightly onto Levy's hand. Another dreadful thing about being a Princess: corsets.

When the torture was finally over, Erza turned Lucy around so she could see her reflection in the full length mirror. Lucy's eyes widened. The deep blue dress had been fitted through her hips, and fanned out in satiny smooth waves behind her. Yukino had piled her long, golden locks on top of her head precariously, pearls adorned around her hair. Levy stepped up to her then, adding the last touch- a necklace made of wire so thin and pearls so far apart they looked like they were floating on her skin.

"You look beautiful, Princess." Yukino spoke behind her.

Lucy blushed and Levy giggled. "As always." She grinned and Erza nodded.

"We should probably have you escorted to the throne room where the King awaits your presence." Levy stated and Lucy sighed, nodding as she waved goodbye to both Erza and Yukino.

One of her father's personal knights waited outside for the Princess and her tutor, bowing when they stepped out of the Princess's chambers.

When they finally arrived, Levy and the knight left the Princess with her father, stepping out of the room to give them privacy.

Lucy nodded politely at her father. Her father in return only raised his chin in greeting like was his custom. Sighing, Lucy stared out of one of the many windows that surrounded the room.

"I have very important matters to discuss with you, Lucy."

Nodding, Lucy looked back at her father. "Of course."

"It concerns the fate of the Kingdom of Fiore." He stopped, coughing before he sat straight again. Lucy frowned but nodded.

"What is it, father?" She asked, though a part of her already knew what he'd say. She'd feared this day since she was a child, when she was taught of a particular law she would have to follow.

"I've spoken about this with my royal advisor, Makarov Dreyar, for the past week. Since your seventeenth birthday." He stopped, expecting some kind of reaction from his daughter, but when he didn't get one he continued. "You're to be married by your eighteenth birthday. It's the law."

Lucy's eyes widened, her heart quickening at her father's words. "But father…" She tried speaking but he shook his head.

"It's the law, Lucy." He repeated sternly. "You are to marry a man deemed worthy of your hand." He stopped, noticing Lucy's fidgeting. "Lucy, Makarov and I have been talking, and we've decided that it is in the Kingdom's best interest that you marry Prince Sting Eucliffe of the neighboring Kingdom of Fiore."

Lucy's eyes widened in horror. "No! I will not marry someone I have yet to even meet!"

The King slammed a fist on his throne, making Lucy tremble with fear. "The future of our Kingdom will be determined by your marriage to Prince Eucliffe!" He took a few deep breaths. "Please understand Lucy…" He stood up from his throne and walked towards his daughter, taking one of her delicate, small hands in his. "Lucy…" The Princess pulled her hand away from her father's, taking a step back, away from him. She shook her head.

"Father…" She bit her bottom lip, looking down. "I just hate the idea of having to be forced into marriage." She looked back up at her father, smiling sadly. "If I do marry, I want it to be for love."

Her father sighed. "My daughter," he frowned. "It's not only this law… I am not going to be around forever… This Kingdom will need a King. Your marriage to Prince Eucliffe will create an alliance that will ensure the safety of our Kingdom and our people."

Lucy bowed her head, knowing that as the Kingdom's Princess, it was her duty to look for her people's best interest. She must do what's best for her Kingdom. A tear slid down her cheek and she quickly brushed it away. But… She didn't want to do what other's thought was best for her to do. She should decide what was best for herself. She should do what her heart truly desired!

She looked up at her father, new found determination in her eyes. "Father… I will not marry Prince Eucliffe."

Her father's eyes widened. "But Lucy-"

"Please try to understand, father." She said calmly. "I've never done a thing on my own. I'm always told what to do, what is best for me to do." She extended her hand towards the windows, which's view showed the wall that surrounded their Kingdom. "I've never even been outside the castle's walls!"

"But Lucy… As the Princess of Fiore it is your duty-"

"Then maybe I don't want to be a Princess anymore!" Lucy confessed, taking her father by surprise. She took a few deep breaths, her heart hammering in her chest.

Lucy then turned and stormed out the throne room, hearing her father yelling after her but she ignored him. She picked up the front of her deep blue dress and ran down the hall toward the Kingdom's gardens, ignoring the disapproving looks from the maids and knights passing by.

Believing herself safe from the royal duties that were ever searching her, the Princess stopped to sit by the fountain in the garden. She stared at her reflection, frowning as she looked away and instead stared at the castle she had just ran out of.

She had finally done it. She had finally done what she had longed to do for so many years. She had stood up for herself, for what she truly wanted.

As the Princess of Fiore, she knew she had everything. What more could she ask for? She looked at the wall that separated her from the outside world.

Sure, many could say she had everything. But she wanted more. She wanted to leave all the rules and duties she had carried since birth. She wanted to be free! To be a part of world so different from hers.

How could her father expect her to become a great Queen if she had yet to walk through even the neighboring town by the castle? She needed to see the world outside the walls surrounding her for herself! She was done only hearing stories about it!

What would she give to live out of this castle. What would she pay to spend a day walking through the streets of one of the many towns in her Kingdom.

Out there… where they don't reprimand their daughters… Bright young woman ready to stand! Ready to make her own decisions and do what she pleases! Ready to take charge of her own life!

Lucy stared at her reflection in the fountain's water and smiled, singing softly,

 _Wanderin' free- wish I could be… Part of that world._

She stood up then, grinning as she stared at the wall surrounding the castle she lived in. She would go on the adventure she had dreamed of since she was a child! She'd make her dream a reality!

Picking her dress from the bottom, she ran off to her bedroom.

Locking her door after she entered, Lucy sighed, resting her back to the door. Her hard breathing made her chest rise and fall. She looked around her room, grabbing a bag from her wardrobe and then took one of her keys, calling out one of her Celestial Spirits.

"Open the Gate of the Maiden- Virgo!"

The pink haired maid appeared then in a flash of gold light. "You called, Princess?"

Lucy nodded, not even bothering to ask her- for the millionth time- to just call her Lucy. "Yes. I have decided to run away from the Kingdom and I will need your help in doing so."

The Spirit frowned but still nodded. "As you wish, Princess." She bowed.

Smiling, Lucy thanked her, walking over to her wardrobe and taking out clothes and packing them. She would finally leave the Kingdom. She would finally be free.

* * *

"I can't believe you forgot to bring jewels." Happy grumbled annoyed, his stomach making loud growling sounds.

Natsu sighed, his stomach also growling loudly and painfully. "It's not like I forgot them. More like stupid Macao hasn't paid us yet."

Happy sighed, frowning. "I'm starving!" He growled at his partner. "I'm also super tired because I had to fly someone all the way from Magnolia here just because he didn't want to ride a carriage. The least I deserve is a fish!"

The pink haired boy returned the glare. "I already thanked you for that! And you know I have motion sickness! I can't ride a carriage without getting painfully sick! And it was faster with you flying us here than traveling by carriage!"

The two were glaring daggers at each other before Natsu's eyes brightened. "Well, there is a way we can get food…" He grinned mischievously and Happy sighed, shaking his head.

"We're so getting busted for this _again_." He muttered as he followed his best friend.

"How much is this loaf of bread?" Natsu asked the merchant, as they stopped at one of the many stands in the streets of the town of Crocus. As the chubby guy told Natsu, the boy nodded at his partner, who sprouted white feathered wings from his back and flew passed the stand, taking the first loaf of bread his paws could catch.

"That cat just stole from me!" The merchant yelled, turning around to see the boy from before gone. Unluckily for Natsu, a couple of knights had been patrolling the streets of Crocus and heard the merchant's cry for help.

And now, Natsu and Happy were being followed by two knights. "I knew this would happen!" Happy cried, glaring at the boy that run beside him, trying to keep up with him.

"Well, a little adrenaline is never bad!" He grinned, pumping a fist engulfed in flames up in the air.

Just as he uttered those words, he crashed into a hard armor. Looking up, Natsu grinned sheepishly, taking a few steps back. When the knight drew his sword, Natsu ran off, three other knights already following after him. He sighed in exasperation. "All this just for a loaf of bread?!"

Happy grunted. "Well yeah! You just stole from someone else!"

Natsu rolled his eyes. "I steal only what I can't offord."

His cat sighed. "And that's everything."

Natsu laughed, turning the corner of a dark ally, hearing the steps of the knights getting closer. Lighting his fists on fire, he punched a couple of pillars, making them fall just before the knights could catch him, and blocking their path to him. Grinning, Natsu exited the alley and continued running through the town.

"You won't get away that easy!" Two knights yelled after him and Natsu sweat dropped.

"You think that was easy?!" He exclaimed, glaring back at them as his right fist engulfed in flames.

One of the knights took hold of his sword and aimed at Natsu, who quickly dodged the hit. "You've got to be kidding me! It's just a little snack, guys!"

Happy sighed, handing Natsu the loaf of bread and holding onto Natsu's vest as he carried him away from the mess they had just caused. "These guys don't appreciate I'm broke." Natsu muttered.

"Hey! Get back here! Stop thief! Street rat!" The knights yelled as they watched the cat fly away.

"Gotta eat to live, gotta steal to eat! Otherwise we'd get along!" Natsu gave the guards a thumbs up and Happy shook his head.

They soon landed on top of one of the many buildings of Crocus. Happy sweat dropped as he stared at the merchant street they had just escaped. Pillars laid on the street in pieces, some still lit on fire. "You really overdid it this time, Natsu."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Natsu shrugged. "It's not my fault. They started it. I mean, they were the ones using violence!"

Sighing, Happy shrugged. "Well, we're gonna have to hide for awhile. Before they get a site of us."

Natsu nodded, and he felt his best friend's paw hold tightly onto his vest as he flew them down the building and towards a dark ally.

They sat down on the ally, their backs resting against the building's wall. Natsu let out a breath before he grinned over at Happy. "And now, we eat!"

Happy grinned back at his friend, watching him divide the loaf of bread in two, and handing the other half to him. Natsu was about to take a bite from his piece of bread but his eyes had caught sight of two children down the dark ally, taking left overs out of trash cans. He frowned, glancing back down at his piece of bread before he looked over at Happy, whose stomach growled. The cat stared at his bread and shook his head, taking a bite from the bread.

Sighing, Natsu stood up and handed the piece of bread to the two children. The older one, a girl, stared at him with raised eyebrows, unsure. Natsu grinned. "Go on. Take it." The two kids grinned, the girl taking the piece of bread and handing it to the small boy beside her. Natsu rubbed the girl's head, making her giggle, and then walked back to Happy, who frowned as he stared at the two children.

Standing up, the small, blue cat walked up to the two children and offered them the bitten piece of bread. The girl took it, thanking him and patting his head, making him smile.

Natsu chuckled as he watched the cat fly up to sit on his head. "It was the right thing to do." The boy told him and the cat sighed.

"Yeah… But all that work to get something to eat just…" He stopped when he heard his partner chuckle.

"I'm glad we stole that bread. Those kids now have something to eat." Happy nodded, smiling a small smile.

Just as they exited the alley, they were met by five knights dressed in silver armor. Natsu started to back away but stopped as soon as someone yelled, "Natsu!"

The pink haired Dragon Slayer turned around to see a short man making his way passed the knights. "You damn fool! You've done it again!"

Natsu sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, shrugging. "We were hungry."

Makarov sighed. "You're going to be the death of me, you brat." Turning to face the knights, the old man stated, "You can go back to the castle, I'll deal with this one."

The knights seemed unsure, but the old man sent them a stern look that made them all nod, turn around and leave.

Natsu looked down, a hard look on his face as he heard the retrieving steps of the knights. Makarov turned back to Natsu, frowning. "Let's go home." He said, walking away from the alley.

They boy and the cat both stared at the old man dumbfoundedly. "What?"

Makarov rubbed his forehead, glancing back at Natsu, "Didn't you just say you were hungry?"

Natsu's face broke into a grin, running up to the old man. "You're the best, Gramps!"

It was a long walk, but the two spent it talking. Natsu and Happy talked about their job with Macao, and how he continued to train Natsu to become a blacksmith himself one day. Makarov talked about his role in the Kingdom, and how the Princess would soon marry, for her eighteenth birthday was coming up. Natsu only nodded, not really interested. But when the old man mentioned she'd be forced into the marriage, the boy's eyes widened.

"Why does she have to be forced?" He questioned as they entered the old man's small home. Natsu looked around the place, he hadn't been here before.

Makarov sighed. "As the Princess, it is her duty to do what is best for her Kingdom."

Natsu snorted. "That just sounds like a load of crap." The old man looked at Natsu disapprovingly but the boy did not mind or care. "People should never be forced into doing something they do not wish to do."

Staring at the boy before him, Makarov couldn't help let out a low chuckle. "Yeah… I know. It's just… things are run differently in the castle."

Natsu and Happy helped Makarov prepare something for dinner, Makarov slapping their hands- paws in Happy's case- with a wooden spoon every time they tried to eat the ingredients and pick on the food he was preparing. Natsu's smelled the air around them, knowing the food would end up great just by its smell.

"Your cooking has gotten better, Gramps." Natsu praised, and the old man shrugged.

"Practice makes everything better, I suppose. It was either learn how to cook or starve."

They had just finished getting everything ready for dinner when the front door opened. "I'm home, Gramps!"

The old man chuckled, taking off the apron he had been wearing as he approached his grandson by the entrance. "Hard day today?"

Laxus shook his head. "Not really. Though, I did get a few blows from sparring with Jellal." He chuckled. He then caught the pink haired boy standing by their kitchen and glared.

"So he did come." Makarov sighed and nodded. Laxus shook his head. "That idiot always gets into trouble. No matter where he's at."

Natsu glared over at Laxus. "You know I can hear you, right?!"

Laxus snorted. "Of course I know you can." He glared daggers at both the boy and his cat. "You two are just lucky Gramps and I work for the Kingdom, if not, you two would be spending the night in the Kingdom's dungeons!"

The boy rolled his eyes. "For just stealing a loaf of bread?"

"Of course not, you idiot!" Laxus growled. "For the destructions you caused!"

"Well, it's not like I meant to destroy anything! They started using violence, so I had to do something to get away before they slashed my throat with their swords!"

"If you hadn't been stealing from others, than no one would have been after you with a sword!"

"Whatever I do is none of your business, you stupid lightning freak!" Natsu growled, his fists engulfed in flames already.

"It is my business! Gramps and I had to step up and take full responsibility for your mess, you idiot!" His fists engulfed in lightning, and Happy's eyes widened in terror, hoping Makarov would stop them before they destroyed his small home.

Makarov's hands curled up into fists, a vein of anger popping at the top of his head, yelling before the two could throw the first punch, "Stop it, you brats!"

The two looked down at the man that was breathing hard from anger. "Laxus, this is not the way to deal with this." The blond looked away, grunting in annoyance. "And Natsu… Laxus is right. You have outdone yourself. You get into trouble every time. If you're not causing havoc in Magnolia, you're causing it here in Crocus. You need to control your magic."

Natsu looked down in embarrassment and anger. "It's not like I meant to destroy anything. It just happened! And most of the time, it's because I'm trying to help others! You know, I've caught a whole bunch of bad guys back in Magnolia! I'm doing the right thing! I'm helping others with my magic, just like Gran taught me to." He stopped, his hands curled into tight fists.

Laxus rolled his eyes. "That's our job as the knights of the Kingdom, not yours, Natsu. This hero complex of yours is what gets you into so much trouble all the time."

The boy glared at the knight, his hands shaking with anger. "Well sometimes I get the job done better than any of you knights could ever! I actually catch those criminals!"

Before Laxus could respond, Makarov stated, "You do." Laxus's eyes widened, about to question his grandfather but stopped when the old man continued, "But destroy everything that crosses your path as you do so."

Natsu looked away, his nails digging into his skin.

"You two never understand. She… She would understand!"

Happy frowned as he stared at his partner.

Makarov looked down, knowing exactly who the boy was talking about. "She's not here anymore, Natsu."

Natsu sniffed. "I know that." He picked his rolled up comforter and strapped it across his back. "Let's go, Happy." He muttered. Happy's eyes widened, looking back at the food they had prepared. He sighed, deciding not to say anything and flew after his partner.

"Natsu!" Makarov yelled but the teen didn't turn back, he only slammed the door shut after he stepped out of the small house.

His shoulders were tense, his hands still curled up into tight fists. Happy flew quietly beside his partner and best friend, not knowing what to say to make his friend feel better. Natsu looked up at the darkening sky, letting out a loud sigh. He stopped then, closing his eyes as he felt the night's breeze blow gently passed them.

Natsu had stopped in front of a tree, and his fist engulfed in flames then, punching the tree trunk as hard as he could.

Happy's eyes widened, only being able to whisper, "Natsu?"

The Dragon Slayer shook his head. "It's okay, Happy." He looked down and forced himself to grin. "I'm okay."

His best friend frowned..

"It's just…" Natsu stopped, turning around so his back was now against the tree. He slid down to the ground and sighed. "I feel like I've failed them all." He muttered, staring up at the sky, frowning.

He had always dreamed of a far off place where a great, warm welcome would be waiting for him. That Igneel would stand in the middle of that crowd, proudly stating that he was his son.

Rubbing his hands over his eyes, Natsu smiled sadly down at the grass. He had been trained and raised by Igneel for a reason. His magic meant something- everything- to him. It was a huge part of him. He would continue using it to help others! He'd continue to search for Igneel! He'd continue being the reckless fool he was! He would not change, not even if that was what Makarov and Laxus thought was what was best.

One day, he'd prove to them that he could do something great with the power Igneel had thought him. He would make them all respect him! The crowds will one day cheer when they see him! They would all finally respect him! He was sure of it!

And when that day comes, Igneel will be there, welcoming him, telling him that this is where he is meant to be.

He grinned up at the sky. He would find his way to Igneel. He knew he would. He would go the distance, until he's finally reunited with his father. He'll find him one day, but he had to be strong. He couldn't give up. He couldn't let others tell him what he should and shouldn't do.

Every mile will be worth his while, if it meant seeing Igneel again. That's all he wanted. To find his father, to be the man he had hoped and trusted he'd become. He wanted to be someone his father would be proud of. That's why… he couldn't give up. Not now. He had to continue. He had to stay strong. Because… One day, he'll stand beside his father again, and every single step of the way, would be worth it.

"You know, Happy," Natsu started, his arms crossing behind his head as he looked up at the dark sky. "I'd go anywhere… Just to feel like I belong…"

Happy's frown deepened. "But… you belong here."

Natsu shrugged. "Sometimes I feel like I don't. Like I'm not meant to be here. I know it doesn't make sense… But… It's just that…" He stopped, his eyes closing. "I feel like I'm meant to be someplace else."

Just then, a couple of girls ran passed them, squealing, "Salamander is so charming!"

"And dreamy!"

Natsu stood up, his eyebrows furrowing as he watched the two young girls run down the street.

"Salamander?" He questioned.

Happy glanced up at his partner, asking, "Do you think it's Igneel?"

Natsu's eyes widened. "Maybe." He stopped, his hands sweating with the possibility of finally seeing his father again. "We should follow those girls and see!"

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Lucy?" Aquarius questioned. She watched the Princess nod and sighed.

"I'm finally doing what I want. I couldn't be more sure." She whispered as she stood on her balcony staring out into the beautiful gardens. "My father has proven to me that he has no regards to how I feel or for what I want." She frowned, rubbing away the lone tear that ran down her cheek. "It's all about him and his precious Kingdom."

Leaning over, Lucy smiled as she saw the town of Crocus near the palace. She would be there soon… She would finally have a real life, a life made of her own decisions, not from someone else for their own gain.

"I'm going to run away, Aquarius." The Princess announced grinning when she saw her Celestial Spirit roll her eyes. Lucy turned back around to stare at the dark sky. "I'm going to finally leave this castle and never look back."

"Well, I hope you get caught." Aquarius muttered and Lucy's eyes widened before she giggled.

"I know you don't mean that." The mermaid shrugged and Lucy smiled. "I know deep down you're proud of me for finally doing what I wish."

Aquarius looked away from Lucy and smiled, before she went back to the Spirit world, she whispered a faint, "I am."

Walking towards her wardrobe, Lucy pulled on a black cape over the black bodice she wore over a light grey blouse with long sleeves and a light blue, calf- length skirt. She pulled a small travel bag from under her bed, one Virgo had helped her prepare. She pulled the small bag over her shoulder and walked over to her balcony, looking down at the gardens. They were dim and unguarded, and Lucy sighed in relief.

Lucy, with the help of Virgo, had made a rope of knotted and rolled blankets. It was heavy, but she was still able to secure it to one of the stone poles of the balcony, heaving the rest over. The rope was long enough that a few feet of it was lying flat against the ground. Next, Lucy threw her bag over the balcony, watching it land quietly next to the rope.

Taking a deep breath, Lucy swung her legs over the side of the balcony. She stared down at the distant ground for a moment, and then looked back into her bedroom. She had spent seventeen years here. And now, she was finally leaving. Looking away, Lucy grinned as she grabbed hold of the pole and gently eased herself onto the rope. Her eyes widened at first, her heart hammering in her chest. She didn't dare look down, it'd only scare her even more if she knew how high up she really was. Taking a final deep breath, Lucy began moving down the rope.

She moved slowly, afraid that she'd fall. It felt like ages until finally, she gently lowered herself to the ground. Looking up, Lucy's eyes widened. She had really done it! She couldn't help laugh to relieve her stress. Her heart was still beating madly in her chest as she picked up her bag and then yanked as hard as she could on the rope, trying to get the knot to come undone. After several tries, she managed to pull the pole free. Sighing in relief, Lucy carried it to some bushes nearby and hid it there.

Pulling her hood on, Lucy covered her face as much as she could. She shivered from the cold night air, wrapping her cape tightly around her. Suckling in a deep breath, Lucy ran across the gardens and towards the wall that surrounded the Kingdom she was escaping. She used the light of the moon as a guide, crunching dried leaves and twigs on her way. She then heard distant voices coming her way, and she quickly hid behind a tree, watching as a couple of knights walked passed her. She covered her mouth with both her hands, her eyes glued on them as they walked towards the stables. She sighed in relief when they finally disappeared down the path.

When she finally reached the wall, her heart was beating so fast, she thought it was going to jump out of her chest, her cheeks were burning hot, and she had been scared out of her mind, more than once thinking about turning around and getting back in bed but just as quickly as the thought came she shook it away. She would not chicken out! She was finally doing this and she would not give up halfway into it! She would definitely get to see the world outside these walls.

Her cold, small hands touched the stone wall, staring up at it's great stature.

Taking out one of her golden keys, Lucy whispered, "Open the Gate of the Maiden- Virgo."

The pink haired maiden bowed before her owner. "Princess has requested me to help her escape, correct?"

Lucy nodded. "I need you to dig a hole for me to cross this wall." The Princess smiled down at the grass. "I want to finally see what's behind these walls."

"As you wish, Princess." Virgo glanced up at the tall wall before she burrowed into the ground. She soon peeked from under the whole and pulled the Princess to follow her, leading her through her underground passage, until finally, they reached the end.

Lucy's eyes widened as Virgo helped her out of the hole. She stared at the lights that came from the town of Crocus and then turned to see the wall that surrounded the castle she had lived in since birth. "I'm finally outside…" She laughed, hugging her Celestial Spirit. "I'm finally outside, Virgo!"

Virgo pulled away from the Princess, smiling as she said, "I'm happy for you, Princess. But you should probably leave this area before you get caught and returned to the place you deem a prison."

Lucy nodded. "Of course." Glancing around, Lucy felt a little lost and Virgo sighed.

"I will help you, Princess, reach the town of Crocus. But by morning, you should be far from here, if you do not wish to be caught by tomorrow."

Frowning, Lucy nodded. "Yes, I know. Thank you, Virgo."

Before the Princess could take a step away from the wall, Virgo stopped her, holding onto her arm. "Are you sure about this, Princess?"

Lucy smiled, remembering Aquarius's words from before. Now it felt like those words had left the mermaid's lips days ago instead of just an hour earlier. "I'm sure Vigo." She glanced at the wall one last time before she admitted, "I will miss the few friends I had here." She frowned, feeling guilty for not saying goodbye to Levy, Yukino, and Erza. "There's also so many memories in this castle… Good and bad ones. And… My father." She curled her hands onto her coat. "But I know this is what I want. I'm sure this is what's best."

Nodding, Virgo guided the Princess towards Crocus.

As soon as they stepped into town, Virgo informed Lucy that her time was up, and she was to return to the Celestial Spirit world. The blonde thanked her and assured her that if she ran into trouble, she'd call her out immediately.

Walking down the streets of Crocus, Lucy was simply awe struck by the many attractions the village had to offer. She passed by many shops and many performers. The nightlife was splendid. She giggled when she stopped to watch a puppet show. She had also sat down on the street to listen to a young woman sing. Her voice was so beautiful, it reminded her of Aquarius's.

She was gifted with a flower crown from a nice old lady Lucy had stopped to have a conversation, admiring the jewelry she had crafted herself. A young girl stared at the crown and Lucy giggled. She placed it on her head, smiling widely when the girl blushed. "It looks better on you." Lucy winked at her and the girl giggled, thanking her.

It was nice to be treated as just another regular person. To not have people bowing to her or formerly addressing her. She was now only Lucy. Just another girl. In a way, she was glad her father had kept her locked away in the Kingdom, for no one outside the castle knew what the Princess of Fiore looked like.

She had been walking down one of the many streets of Crocus, when she watched a couple of giggling girls ran passed her. "I can't wait to meet this Salamander! I hear he's very dreamy!"

Curiosity got the best of her, and Lucy followed after the two girls, stopping when she noticed a huge crowd of girls in the middle of the street.

Lucy could make out a man standing in the middle of the crowd, surrounded by all the girls. They all seemed infatuated by this man, and Lucy couldn't understand why. That was, until she caught a glance of him and her heart started beating uncontrollably fast, throbbing out of control.

She clutched her hand against her chest, confused as to what was happening to her. And then, the dark blue haired man looked straight at her and the throbbing of her heart increased. Could it be… that she was in love? The Princess shook her head. No way! She didn't even know the guy! So… what was causing these feelings?

"Igneel! Igneel! Igneel it's me!" A boy with pink hair yelled, pushing his way through the crowd of girls and towards the dark haired man.

And just like that, Lucy felt her heart go back to normal. Like magic. The spell had broken.

Lucy watched the young, pink haired man's shoulders slump. "Who the hell are you?!"

The man's eyes widened, "Who am I?!" He then grinned. "I'm Salamander. Surely you've heard of me before."

Lucy watched the boy walk away and then get jumped by a bunch of girls for insulting this supposed great Salamander.

She glared at the dark haired man as she watched him try to give an autograph to the pink haired boy. He had been using a charm spell. That's why she had been feeling so weird, because she was hypnotised into believing she was in love with him. Levy had taught her about these spells in one of her many magic lessons.

But thanks to that boy barging in when he did, she was able to snap out of it. She approached him then, wanting to thank him. The boy had been sitting down on the floor, a blue cat standing right beside him.

"Who the hell is that guy?" Natsu muttered, watching him use magic to fly out of the street he had been standing before.

"A creep, I'm sure." Lucy answered, smiling down at the boy. "Thank you for your help!"

Natsu stared at the girl before him with raised eyebrows. He had no idea what she was thanking him for.

"Huh?" Was all he was able to utter as he watched her drop the hood that covered her face and smile a warm, bright and wide smile at him.

Happy watched their interaction, his paws covering his mouth to stop himself from teasing his friend.

Natsu's eyes had widened as soon as the blonde's face came into view, his cheeks turning a faint pink color when she smiled at him.

 _Their paths had finally crossed._

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Like, hate it, love it? Please review and let me know!**

 **Wow. This chapter was a long one! And as hard as I tried to keep it short and simple, I just couldn't! I really wanted them to finally meet in this chapter, but I also wanted to add the struggles they were both going through, Lucy running away and introduce some new characters, whose stories will be further developed later in the story! Hopefully you all liked how this chapter turned out! I liked where this chapter went, but I have mixed feelings about it. Lol.**

 **Thank you so much to those who followed, favorited and reviewed the first chapter!**

 **A special thank you to luchaniam, nickgog343, and skyehammond1! Your reviews motivated me to get this chapter done and ready to update a lot sooner than I expected! Thank you so much for your encouraging words to continue this story!**

 **Thanks for reading! And until next time! ;D**

 **Songs: Disney's The Little Mermaid- Part of Your World, Hercules- Go the Distance, and Aladdin- One Jump Ahead**

 **Disclaimer: Fairy Tail is owned by Hiro Mashima! Disney characters, songs, and ideas used in this story are all owned by Walt Disney Studios!**

 **~Blue~**


	3. Do You Trust Me?

**Once Upon a Fairy Tail**

 **Chapter 3: Do You Trust Me?**

 _I want adventure in the great, wide somewhere. I want it more than I can tell. And for once it might be grand, to have someone understand. I want so much more than they've got planned. - Belle (Disney's Beauty and The Beast)_

* * *

The mother tucked her daughter into bed, drawing the curtains over the window, blocking the little girl's view of the stars shining brightly in the night sky.

"Mama…" The small girl called before her mother could step out of her bedroom. The green haired woman turned around to her daughter, eyebrows raised in question.

"What is it, Asuka?"

The girl looked down at her hands. "Could you read me a bedtime story?"

Her mother smiled. "Of course, sweetie."

She took one of the many books that laid on top of her daughter's desk and walked over to her bed, sitting down on the edge of it. She began to read the first page, "Once upon a time, in a far away Kingdom, there was a Princess that was sent away to a tower, awaiting her Prince. A large, fearsome Dragon guarded the tower, ready to defeat all those who tried to take the Princess. But the Prince would-"

The woman stopped when her daughter pushed the book down from her hands, so she could stare at her instead. "What if the Dragon isn't bad? Maybe he's protecting the Princess because he really loves her!"

Bisca's eyes widened at her daughter's question and reasoning, her face breaking into a smile as she giggled. "Yeah, you might be right." She patted her daughter's head. "You know, whoever wrote this story should have really brought that up somewhere." She winked and Asuka giggled.

"Yes! I'm sure the Princess felt safe when the Dragon was protecting her with his life! He may have been her Prince in disguise!"

Bisca shook her head with a small smile still plastered on her face. "Well, young lady, I think you could re-write this story and make it a thousand times better."

Asuka smiled and gave her mother a small shrug. "Yeah, maybe." She then took the book from her mother, closing it. "I just thought some stories have the same boring ending. A good twist can be fun as well! The Princess doesn't always have to be saved by a Prince. The Dragon can sometimes be the Hero of the story as well!"

Her mother raised an eyebrow, a little surprised by her daughter's way of thinking. "Really now?"

The little girl nodded her head. "Natsu told me so! So I'm sure of it! He never lies!"

Bisca sighed. She knew that pink haired boy had something to do with this. He had been babysitting Asuka a little too much. She smiled down at her daughter. "I'm sure he doesn't."

Asuka grinned. "Of course. After all, Natsu's dad is a Dragon! So that means he's kinda of a Dragon as well. He'll one day find his Princess that he'll protect with his life!" Bisca giggled at her daughter's words, the little girl giggling along as well.

* * *

 **In a Restaurant in the town of Crocus...**

"My name is Lucy." The Princess of Fiore introduced herself. She sat on one side of the booth while the boy she had met before and his cat sat on the other side. Folding her arms on top of the table she continued with a smile, "It's nice to meet you."

"Aye!" The cat answered. Lucy watched the small, blue cat, still very much surprised and amazed that the he could talk.

She patted a napkin against her lips before placing it on her lap. Lucy sweat dropped when she stared at the boy in front of her take a huge bite of his food, his cat chewing on a fish with a content look on his face. It hadn't even been five minutes since their food had been brought to their table and already, plates were stacked on either side of the young, pink haired man. This boy definitely had an appetite!

Lucy scratched her cheek, "Natsu and Happy was it?" She asked, still very impressed at the boy's eating habits as she watched him.

"Mhm!" The boy answered as he munched onto his food. "You're so nice!"

The blonde smiled. "Thanks." She sighed as she watched him slurp down a bowl of soup in seconds. "You can slow down, you know. We're not in a hurry." She sighed.

To express her gratitude for what they had done earlier for her, she had offered them to go out to eat. She had obviously not known of a good place to eat at around Crocus but Happy had suggested the one they now sat at.

"Evidently that Salamander guy was using magic to hypnotize the ladies in town into thinking they were in love with him." She explained as Natsu and Happy continued to devour the food she had ordered. She was glad she had secretly been saving up jewels for the past few years. She had enough jewels for now, but she would have to find a way to make a living soon, that was, if she didn't get caught by the castle's knights by morning. "Charm spells have the power to attract people to you against their own will. However, they've been banned for years. Nobody even sells them any more." Lucy recited the words Levy- her tutor- had taught her and that she'd read countless of times in the books piled under her bed and desk, all teaching her about magic.

She shook her head. "He must have gotten into a lot of trouble to get his hands on it." She smiled at Natsu and Happy. "I had fallen victim to his spell but snapped out of it as soon as you appeared. I really can't thank you two enough."

"Yeah, no problem!" Natsu answered with his mouth full. Lucy looked away, knowing that if she had ever talked with a mouth full like that she would have been scolded back at the castle. But she wasn't in the castle anymore… She looked down at her lap and smiled. It still felt like a dream, like she'd wake up any minute and be back in her bedroom, locked away forever.

She cupped her chin with her hand, leaning over the table as she told them, "I may not look like it, but I'm a mage too."

Natsu's eyes widened. It was a rare occasion to bump into other mages. "Is that so?" He asked.

Lucy nodded enthusiastically, grinning widely. "Yes! I'm a Celestial Spirit Mage!" She stated proudly.

The boy nodded. "Cool. I've never met one before." He rubbed the back of his neck. "But Gran once told me about one. I just can't remember who it was."

Happy stopped chewing onto his fish. He narrowed his eyes at his partner and reminded him, "It was the Queen, Natsu. The Queen of Fiore was a Celestial Spirit Mage."

Natsu's eye brightened as he remembered, grinning as he nodded. "Right! The Queen!"

Lucy's eyes widened, and she looked down, frowning at the mentioning of her mother. Of course they didn't know who she was, or that they were talking about her mother.

Shaking any sad thoughts that clouded her head away, she grinned at them as she showed them the ring that held her keys. "These keys summon a Spirit from the Celestial Spirit world." She explained. "Gold keys are very rare and hard to find, as they open one of the twelve Zodiac Celestial Spirits and there are only twelve of them." She stared at her keys as she continued, "But I got my hands on nine of them. I helped a fellow Celestial Spirit mage find another one of them, and she now has two. There's only one more out there, and I wish to find it." She sighed. "But no one seems to know where it may be. It's like it has completely disappeared."

"Oh. Yeah?" Natsu mumbled as he slurped his ramen.

Happy stared at Lucy and narrowed his eyes at her. "You talk a lot."

Lucy blushed and looked away in embarrassment. It was a bad habit of hers, one she always got scolded for. A Princess was not to be so chatty, she remembered her father scolding her.

Looking back at the boy and his cat, Lucy's eyes widened, "I almost forgot. You two were looking for someone, right?"

The blue cat nodded, "We're looking for Igneel!"

Natsu sighed. "We heard some girls talking about a Salamander and I thought it was Igneel. Turned out it was somebody else."

"Yeah that guy didn't look like a salamander at all!" Happy mumbled as he chewed on his fish.

"No kidding!" Natsu muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. "I bet that poser can't even breathe fire like a real Dragon."

Lucy raised an eyebrow, not sure what he meant by that. "I don't understand. Does your friend Igneel look like a Dragon?"

Natsu's eyebrows furrowed and he shook his head. "No, you got it all wrong. He doesn't look like a Dragon, he is one."

"Huh?" Lucy stared wide eyed at the pink haired boy.

"Aye! Igneel is a real life fire Dragon!" Happy exclaimed.

Lucy stared at the two, eyes still wide. "Did you ever stop to wonder why a fire Dragon would stop in the middle of town?" She tried to reason.

Their faces fell then, as if barely realising how absurd the idea was.

"Uh." Natsu rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, shaking his head. "Not really."

She sighed, shaking her head at the dumb boy and his cat. Levy had taught her of Dragons before. They were mythical creatures that were rarely seen by the human eye. And this boy was friends with one of them. She was surprised to say the least.

Glancing at the boy sitting in front of her, she couldn't help smiling. "It would be astounding if a Dragon did show up in the middle of town, though. I've never seen one, after all."

Natsu's eyes widened as he stared at her. He had never met someone quite like her. Every time he'd tell someone about Igneel, they'd get scared, afraid of the existence of Dragons. But she… She honestly seemed quite interested in meeting one.

Crossing his arms over the table, Natsu leaned closer to the blonde girl sitting across from him, eyebrows raising as he stared at her. Lucy blushed a bright red and leaned back. Her hands trembled as she tucked a few strands of her golden hair behind her ear, averting her gaze to the table between them. The blush on her face only reddening as she risked glancing up at him. His dark eyes were intently focused on her, his gaze unfaltering as he studied her features.

"W-What is it? Do I-I have something on my face?" She stuttered, her thin fingers coming up to trace her cheeks, making sure there wasn't anything on them.

Natsu raised an eyebrow and shook his head, but didn't lean back, to Lucy's mortification, he leaned an inch closer. "You're not from around here, are you?" He finally spoke and Lucy's eyes widened in terror. Could he… Did he know or suspect that she was the Princess?

She looked away, her cheeks still a bright red. "Is it that obvious?"

He grinned a grin that made Lucy's cheeks redden and her chest warm. "Well, you do kinda stand out."

Lucy's eyes widened slowly at his words. The boy in front of her shrugged, "You're not like most people around here. It's the first time a complete stranger has offered us to pay for dinner just 'cause we helped them out. I get yelled at for doing things like that daily."

Her eyes softened and she offered him a small smile. "I'm grateful for what you two did for me, even if it wasn't your intention to. I'm still very grateful." She glanced down and played with the napkin that layed on her lap. "You two were hungry, right? I just couldn't let you both starve, and less after the help you had been to me."

Happy stared up at his partner, noticing how his eyes widened just a bit, a small grin taking form on his lips. He then glanced at the girl that sat across from them, her eyes warm and kind as she smiled. "You're very nice." The cat suddenly blurted out.

Lucy stared at him, blinking a few times before she giggled. "You're too kind." Waving a hand in dismissal she then shrugged as she whispered, "I'm just doing what I believe is the right thing to do."

"Nah, Happy's right, Luigi. You're very nice!" Natsu grinned widely and Lucy's cheeks flushed at first, but then she sighed.

"It's Lucy." She muttered.

Natsu chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, sorry. Lucy, right… I'll remember that."

The Princess stared at him, her cheeks still dusted a soft pink color. Trying to change the subject and calm her heart she asked, "Are you two from around here?"

Happy shook his head. "Nope! We're from Magnolia!"

The pink haired boy nodded. "Yeah. We only came to Crocus to deliver some weapons for the knights of the castle." He shrugged, sighing. "I work for Macao, he's Magnolia's knightsmith. But he's also a stupid drunk who couldn't even stand by himself this morning." He rolled his eyes and Lucy giggled. "So I had to come instead."

Lucy's hands curled on the folds of her skirt, looking around the busy restaurant, watching people walk in and out, waiters and waitresses walking around with trays as they came and went. The people in this restaurant were laughing, enjoying themselves. She turned around to watch Happy tell Natsu something about how good the fish was and the boy grinned down at the cat, taking a bite from a piece of bread. She smiled. She was also enjoying herself here. She was finally free. Free to be herself. To chose what she wanted to do. Who she wanted to be.

"I'm sure Magnolia is a beautiful and very fun town." Lucy whispered to herself, staring out the window near their table. She could see the large castle she had lived in for the past 17 years of her life, the castle she had just ran away from.

"It is." Natsu answered.

Lucy's eyes widened, turning back to stare at the boy that sat across the table. How had he heard that? She was sure she had whispered that faintly, so faintly that she had barely caught her own words.

He turned to stare out the window instead of at the wide eyed girl in front of him. "The castle looks pretty amazing from here." He grinned. "I wonder what it's like to live there. It must be pretty nice."

The blonde frowned, looking to the side as she muttered, "Sure, with people telling you what to do, where to go and how to dress."

Natsu chuckled. "Well, it must still be pretty cool having everyone respect you and look up at you." He frowned down at the table. "Way better than being feared and yelled at for being different." His hands curled over the table, his eyes never leaving the window's view. "I just wish that for one day, someone would see me differently, and not just as a nuisance."

"You haven't been a nuisance to me at all." Lucy whispered without thinking. Her eyes widened as soon as the words left her mouth. She first glanced at Happy, who was munching on his fish without a care of the world around him. He definitely hadn't caught her words. She then reluctantly glanced over at Natsu.

His eyes were wide, his cheeks dusted a light pink color. Lucy's cheeks flushed a bright red and she looked away, scratching her hot cheek as she stuttered, "I-I mean… W-what I'm-meant was…" She didn't even know what to say. Why was she suddenly feeling so nervous? Her heart was beating so hard in her chest and her hands were trembling.

She glanced back at Natsu and noticed that he was grinning. "You mean that?"

Lucy was only able to nod, her cheeks burning.

His grin widened. "You know, this is a first for me. People never have the best first impression of me." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

She smiled sweetly at him and his cheeks flushed, looking away before she noticed. "But, in a way it's my fault. I always go overboard, causing some kind of havoc wherever I go."

The blonde tilted her head in a cute way, making Natsu bite his tongue before he blurted out his thoughts. "Causing havoc?"

Happy nodded, joining the conversation once again. "Aye! You see, Natsu is also a mage, he's a fire Dragon Slayer!"

Lucy's eyes widened, her eyes glistening as she grinned. "You're a Dragon Slayer?!"

Natsu only nodded and her grin widened. "Wow! I've never met one before! My tu-" She stopped, scratching her cheek sheepishly before she gave off her cover. "A friend of mine once told me all about Dragon Slayers. It's an ancient magic, isn't it? Can you light your hand on fire? Does it burn?" Her eyes were shining with curiosity and Natsu couldn't help burst out laughing.

The girl frowned. "What's so funny?"

Natsu was still laughing, choking out, "You are." Lucy's eyes narrowed as the boy rubbed the tears that had gathered in the corners of his eyes away before a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "You're kinda weird, Luce."

Lucy blinked, flushing slightly as she averted her gaze to the table between them. "Luce?" She questioned. She had completely ignored the weird part, because, if she was honest, sometimes she could be a weirdo.

Natsu grinned. "It's my nickname for you."

The blush on Lucy's face only reddened as she risked glancing up at him. He was grinning at her, a grin she had become fond of already, in the short amount of time she had known him. That grin of his, made her feel warm and safe, like she belonged right here, with him.

She quickly shook her head, trying to shake away those thoughts. She needed to get a hold of herself before she did or said something inappropriate. She had just met him! She couldn't be feeling like this… Not so soon.

Natsu looked down at the table, smiling. "You really are weird. No one has ever reacted like you just did after I told them I was a Dragon Slayer. Most people look at me in horror, fearing my magic." He glanced up at Lucy, his head tilting as he grinned. "Not one of them has ever been amazed by my magic. Just you, Luce."

Lucy looked away, pouting as she crossed her arms over her lap. "Well, from what I've read and heard about your magic, it seems pretty amazing. I don't understand how anyone could find it terrifying."

Natsu cupped his chin on his hand as he leaned on the table, staring out the window as he muttered, "If only everyone thought the way you do. People have always feared my magic, since a Dragon taught it to me. Me having this magic means that there are Dragons out there, and that's what people fear. They fear their existence. But not all Dragons are bad. Igneel was a kind, loving, and very strong Dragon. He'd never hurt humans. I'm sure of that!" He frowned and Lucy did as well. "But no one seems to believe or understand that. Sometimes I just feel so-"

"Trapped." Both Natsu and Lucy said at the same time.

Natsu's eyes widened, and so did Lucy's, but she slowly smiled at him. She could understand what he was feeling, as she too had felt trapped between the castle's walls, where she couldn't be herself, where she was told what was best for her, and no one ever tried to understand what she thought was best for herself.

His cheeks flushed, that smile of hers doing something to him that he couldn't describe or understand.

He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck as he changed the topic. "So, uhm, where you from?"

Lucy looked away, smiling softly as she shrugged. "What does it matter? I ran away and I am not going back."

Natsu raised an eyebrow, leaning forward on the table as he stared at the blonde. "Really? How come?"

Lucy frowned. "My father is forcing me to get married to someone I haven't even met."

The Dragon Slayer's eyes widened. "That's… That's awful."

The Princess nodded. "Yeah." She then sighed as she stared out the window, staring at the star filled night. "For once, I want to be free to make my own choices." She grinned as she stared at the castle she used to live in. "I want to go on adventures, to travel to places I've never been to before. To just be free to be myself!"

She glanced down at the small travel bag she had been carrying with her that now sat on the floor. "From today on, I'm going to finally do what I want, and not what my father has planned for me to do."

Lucy smiled then and Natsu stared at her before he smiled back.

Glancing up at the clock that was hung on a wall near the back of the restaurant, Lucy noticed it was already midnight. Reaching for her travel bag and dropping her napkin over the table, she stood up and opened her bag, taking out the jewels necessary to pay for their meal.

Natsu raised an eyebrow as he watched her and she smiled down at him and then at Happy, who had just finished his tenth fish and was reaching for another. "I want to thank you two again." She then grinned, her eyes never leaving Natsu's. "It was very nice meeting you."

She turned to walk away but was stopped by a warm hand holding tightly onto her wrist. Looking back, she saw Natsu holding onto her, his eyes wide and cheeks flushed as he stared at her arm. He glanced up at her and quickly let go. "Sorry. I-I just… Where are you going?" He asked.

Lucy smiled softly at the boy. "I must leave this town before morning." She confessed, knowing that in just hours, everyone in the castle would know that she had ran away. She needed to be far away from here before that happened.

Happy frowned. "You can't stay here with us a little longer?"

Shaking her head, Lucy looked down as she whispered. "I'm afraid not." She reached to path the blue cat's head, making him purr. She giggled. "Enjoy your meal." She then glanced at Natsu. "Thank you for everything."

Without thinking, Natsu held onto her hand again and Lucy turned around, blushing as she stared at him. He didn't let go this time. "Why don't you come to Magnolia with us?"

Her eyes widened as soon as those words left his mouth. "W-What?" She stuttered. She then shook her head. "No, it's okay. I don't want to be a nuisance to you and-"

"You'd never be a nuisance to me, Luce." Lucy's cheeks flushed a hot red, her gaze tearing away from his dark eyes. What was this boy doing to her heart?

She pulled her hand from his grasp, her other hand holding tightly to her bag. His eyes widened and she frowned and looked away. "That's very nice of you, Natsu. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to reject your offer. Though I'm very grateful for your kindness."

She had just met him, she couldn't run off with someone she had just met, even if that someone made her feel safe and at home. She still couldn't accept.

He frowned, and Lucy had to look away, whispering a soft, "Sorry." She rushed out of the restaurant then, her heart pounding hard in her chest.

"Please come again." A waitress told her, smiling kindly as the blonde nodded, pushing the doors open and sighing once she was met with the cold night's breeze.

She stood outside for a few seconds, debating whether or not to go back in there and accept Natsu's offer. The thought of not seeing him again bothered her for some reason. Maybe it was because he hadn't showed her his magic after all? She shook her head. Whatever it was, it was best for her to just leave this town as soon as possible, and forget all about that boy and his blue cat. They had enough problems on their own for her to drag them into hers as well.

Now, she needed to find a carriage. Pulling her hood on, the Princess of Fiore covered her face as much as she could, not wanting to be recognized by any of the castle's workers or knights that may be wondering around town.

Inside the restaurant, the Dragon Slayer watched the now closed doors the blonde had stepped out of. He sighed, turning around to stare at all the empty plates in their table.

Happy looked up at his best friend and frowned. "You really liked her, didn't you?"

Natsu crossed his arms over the table and nodded. "Yeah. She was really nice and she was… She was different."

Sighing, the cat then said, "So why didn't you stop her again? We may never see her again, you know?"

"Stop her again?" Natsu repeated and then shook his head. "She's the weirdo, not me. She said no. I wasn't going to ask again. I would have seemed like a creep. We just met. It's obvious why she said no."

Happy smiled. "But you still feel sad, don't ya?"

Natsu rolled his eyes. "I don't." He muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

The blue cat grinned. "Yeah right. You liiiiiiiiike her!"

Glaring at his partner, Natsu stood up and turned to leave, barking, "I do not! Now let's get going! I really want to get out of this town already. I'm not planning to cross paths with Gramps or that stupid lightning freak for today."

Sighing, Happy reluctantly stood from his spot on the table, flying after his partner. "Whatever you say." He muttered, earning himself another glare from the boy.

* * *

Walking through the streets of Crocus, Lucy tried to look for a carriage that could take her to the farthest town possible. It seemed almost impossible, however, as all the travelers she'd ask, would tell her they were not to travel at such a late hour and with such a late notice.

Blowing out a breath that ruffled her bangs, Lucy drummed her fingers on her travel bag. She was losing hope of leaving this town by morning. If she didn't leave by then, she was sure to be found by the castle's knights. She just couldn't let that happen.

"I hear you're searching for a way out of this town." Lucy turned around at the sound of a masculine voice behind her.

Her eyes widened as she recognized the man. She glared as soon as her eyes locked with his. "Salamander." She crossed her arms under her chest. "Don't waste your time trying to use your charm spells on me, that magic's weakness is awareness." She said confidently, almost reciting Levy's words. "It doesn't work on people who know you're using it."

The tall, dark blue haired man chuckled. "Just as I thought, I knew you were a mage the moment I laid eyes on you."

Lucy raised an eyebrow, taking a step back as she took a defensive stance.

Crossing his arms over his chest, the man then said, "I came after you to offer to take you as far away from this town as you may wish. I'm traveling tonight as well. I'm actually about to leave town. Wouldn't you like to join me?"

Gripping the strap of her bag and pulling it closer to her, Lucy's eyes narrowed as she watched the man before her. She shook her head. "No thank you." The man's grin fell. "I will not accept an offer such as that from a complete stranger and less from someone as creepy as you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Now dear, why must you call me creepy?" He took a step towards her and she took a step back. "Have I done anything to deem myself as a creep before you?"

Lucy scoffed, very unlady like is she so says herself, but she did not care. Who was here to reprimand her about being a lady or not? "Your spell, using it to make yourself popular. That screams creepy to me from miles away."

He waved his hand. "Don't be mad, my dear. It's all in good fun."

Rolling her eyes, Lucy turned to leave. "I still refuse to travel with you. Thanks for the offer, but no thanks."

He grabbed onto her arm harshly, not letting her walk away. Her eyes widened when they fell on his. He smirked maliciously. "I'm sorry, dear. But I can't let such a beautiful girl as yourself decline my offer just like that."

Lucy noticed another man appear from behind Salamander, grinning at her. Her eyes widened in fright, her hands and legs trembling. "What do you want from me?" She gritted, trying to pull her arm from the man's tight grasp.

"Oh, you see," Salamander began with a wicked grin. "I collect beauties like yourself to sell into slavery." He traced one of his fingers across Lucy's cheek and she turned away, not wanting him near hear. She felt disgusted. She reached for her keys but the man standing behind Salamander quickly took hold of her arm.

"Be a sweetheart and don't fight back, there's no way you'll be able to escape." He laughed and Lucy grunted as she continued to fight against the strong grip on her from the other man. She spit in his face then, her face boiling with anger. The bulky man turned around, his eyes wide with anger, and Lucy felt her heart drop when his colossal hand raised in the air, and she winced for the impact.

"Don't!" Salamander yelled, stopping the other man's colossal hand in mid air. He glared at him. "We cannot have her bruised. So just suck it up."

Lucy trembled as the large man's fingers dug into her flesh and she cried out in pain. Salamander only sighed, not stopping the man again.

All she wanted at that moment, was to be back home, to be back in the safety of the castle. Maybe her father had been right, outside of the castle… it was a dangerous world. Not one she could travel all on her own. She wasn't strong enough. She was weak.

Tears streamed down her face. She should have never left the warmth of the restaurant she had been at before. She had felt safe before. She _had_ been safe before… With Natsu.

She struggled in their grasps, trying in vain to escape. Looking at the Salamander, she muttered, "You're the worst mage ever! You're worse than scum!"

Just as she had uttered those words, she saw a fist engulfed in flames strike Salamander's face. He was forced back from the blow, his hand dropping from around Lucy's arm as he flew back. The same happened to the man that had been hurting her.

Lucy turned to stare at them, gripping her upper arm as it still hurt from the pain the man had caused her. They both clutched onto their noses, bleeding as they looked at something behind her. Her eyes widened as soon as she turned around. Natsu was standing there. His fangs were bared in a savage show of his teeth, and his knuckles were still engulfed in flames.

"Natsu…" She whispered, relief flooding through her small body at the sight of him. He glanced her way for a brief second before he stalked towards the two men. She was about to stop him but she felt something flying over her. Looking up, her eyes widened when she noticed Happy's wings.

"You can fly?!" She exclaimed.

The cat sighed. "Yeah. I'll explain later. I should get you as far away from here as possible for now."

As the cat carried her up in the air, the girl asked, "Why? What about Natsu?!"

"He'll be fine, don't worry. He's the one that's going to be doing all the damage in a second, after all. That's why he asked me to take you away before you got hurt." Happy explained and Lucy's cheeks flushed at the cat's words. Natsu had been worried about her safety?

From the sky, Lucy and Happy could see a Natsu being engulfed in a ball of purple flames. The Celestial Spirit mage's eyes widened and she screamed, "Natsu!" She turned to Happy, her eyes filled with worry and terror. "Fly me to him! I can help! We need to help him!"

Happy shook his head. "Don't worry, Lucy. Natsu's fine. He can take those guys without a sweat! Just watch."

Natsu grinned when he heard Lucy calling his name. He stood up tall and smirked at the two men before him. "What the hell are these flames? Are you sure you're really a fire mage?" He asked from within the flames. "Because these are honestly the nastiest flames I've ever tasted!" And with that, he inhaled the flames that surrounded him.

The men's eyes widened and so did Lucy's as she watched from the sky. "He… Did he just…"

"Yep." Happy grinned. "Fire won't work on Natsu."

Natsu's stomach bulged slightly at the amount of flames he had eaten, burping as he wiped the excess flames from his mouth.

"Thanks for the meal!" Natsu grinned smugly as he stared at the wide eyed men.

"What the hell are you?!" Salamander yelled, taking a step back from the boy.

"Bora, I think I've heard of this guy before. He's the real deal! We shouldn't mess with him." The taller and bulkier man said, earning himself a glare.

"Don't call me by my real name, you fool!" Bora scolded.

"I've heard that name before." Happy muttered. "He's Bora of Prominence. He is one of the most wanted criminals in all of Fiore." Happy told Lucy, making her hands come up to cover her mouth, scared and worried for Natsu's safety.

Natsu's fingers curled into fists, his jaw tight, as he snarled, "I don't care who you are, or why the Kingdom wants your ass. But I won't let you hurt Lucy! Don't ever lay one of your nasty hands on her again!"

Bora prepared to strike Natsu again, but the Dragon Slayer was faster. Slamming his fists together, he drew a deep breath, his cheeks puffing up by the action, gathering all the air his lungs could hold before he yelled, "Fire Dragon's Roar!"

He spat a torrent of flames, holding his hands before his mouth to guide the flames to his targets. He could see one of them flying back, tumbling through the street from the impact.

Lucy's eyes widened as she watched the flames. Her hands were still covering her mouth, her eyes wide in amazement. "I've never seen anything like this."

Bora had surprisingly dodged the attack, a spiral of his fire appearing from the ground, the blaze growing larger and larger as it moved in a wide spiral around him, standing on the tip of it as he stared at the destruction the boy had just caused.

His partner laid beaten down on the street, his hands weakly trying to push his body up but failing to do so. "Bora… That guy… He's gotta be the real one. The pink hair and the scaly looking scars. There's no doubt about it!"

Bora's eyes widened in realization. "You're… You're Salamander?!"

Lucy's hands fell to her sides in shock. "Natsu… Natsu is Salamander? It was him this whole time?!"

Happy grinned. "Yeah! I guess we forgot to tell you, huh?" The girl sighed.

Natsu glared up at Bora, his fists engulfing in flames as he charged towards Bora. He dodged Bora's attacks, who aimed balls of purple fire towards him. Natsu jumped in the air and aimed a fist to Bora's face, sending him flying.

Lucy watched the fight, her hand curling up into a fist as she held it close to her chest. "He eats fire and then attacks with it. It must be some kind of spell, right?" She observed.

Happy nodded. "Yeah. He has Dragon lungs that allows him to breath fire. He also has Dragon's scales to dissolve flames and Dragon's claws to wrap in flames. It's magic that transforms your own body parts into those of a Dragon's."

"An ancient spell." Lucy muttered, watching Natsu and Bora going back and forth in their fight. She hadn't read much about it, but the book did mentioned that it was an ancient spell, that was not very common. For all people in this Kingdom knew, Dragon's had gone extinct centuries ago. But still, there were mages like Natsu that used this type of magic, a magic that was only able to be learned and dominated when taught by a Dragon.

"It was magic that was originally used to deal with Dragons. Dragon Slayer magic. Igneel taught it to Natsu." Happy continued explaining.

Lucy remembered Natsu telling her about Igneel. So he had been looking for his mentor. She smiled as she watched him fight.

"Hell Prominence!" Bora yelled, placing his arms before him as a purple energy build up in his hands, releasing it into a large, long and powerful laser-like beam. The spell had been powerful enough to destroy another part of town, but not strong enough to get Natsu.

He glared down at the pink haired boy. "Damn you, kid!"

He then conjured a large sphere of fire in his stretched up hands, throwing it towards Natsu. The Dragon Slayer caught the sphere in his hands with ease, the ground around him splitting and he quickly consumed the flames.

"Keep the meals coming!" Natsu grinned. "You've given me quite a fight, but it's about time I finish this up!"

Slamming his fists together, Natsu cocked his arm back and charged at Bora, his fist aflame with intense heat. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

Flinging his fist forward, Natsu punched Bora, causing him to fly off into the distance from the impact, crashing into a building.

Lucy watched the entire fight with wide eyes, amazed by the boy's magic power. "He's amazing." She sweat dropped as she looked around the streets below her. "But he went overboard!"

Happy shrugged. "That's Natsu for you."

Seeing that Natsu was done, Happy flew back towards the street, letting Lucy stand on her own two feet.

The sound of hooves hitting the ground relentlessly caught Lucy's ears and she spinned around to see the castle's knights on the backs of their horses moving towards them. "Oh no…" She whispered, her shaking hands covering her mouth. "Did father send them? Has he realized I've ran away?" He entire body trembled, fearing having to go back to the castle.

"You fool!" One of the knights yelled, "You've done it again! Twice in one day! Do you plan to destroy the entire town?!"

Lucy raised an eyebrow, hiding under her coat again, not wanting any of the knights to recognize her. So they were after Natsu?

A bright light suddenly blinded her and the knights, and Lucy turned around to see Happy's small form start growing in size. Her eyes widened as she watched him transform into a huge looking cat-like figure, large white wings appearing on his back again.

Suddenly, she felt someone dragging her towards Happy. She looked down at the warm, tanned hand that held onto her small wrist, her cheeks flushing when she glanced up and her brown eyes locked with Natsu's dark ones.

"We better get out of here now!" He yelled, pulling Lucy along with him.

Her eyes widened. "W-what are you doing?!"

He raised an eyebrow, very much confused by her question. "Running before they catch us?" He furrowed his eyebrows, hadn't it been obvious?

Lucy sighed and shook her head, pointing at his hand that was securely wrapped around her wrist. He grinned. "Oh! Well, you did say you wanted to leave this town, right?" He shrugged. "I know you said no before, but is seems I'm your only option now."

Pouting, Lucy realized that he was right. If she didn't leave now with him, she'd definitely get caught by the knights.

"So come with me to Magnolia!" Natsu grinned back at her and she couldn't help smiling back, that grin of his was very contagious.

Jumping on top of the now large Happy, Natsu then extended his hand towards her. "Come on Luce! Take my hand!"

Lucy stared at his hand and then glanced back at the knights that were quickly approaching them. She looked back at Natsu, biting her lower lip as she considered her options.

Was she sure about running off with a complete stranger that had just saved her? A little. Was that enough? She supposed it was. Could she really leave the life as a Princess and never look back? Yes. She had made up her mind long ago. This was what her heart desired.

Natsu's voice interrupted her thoughts then. "Do you trust me?" He suddenly asked, his eyes wide and intense as they stared into hers.

The Princess raised an eyebrow and then smiled. "Yes." She didn't stutter as she blurted out her response. She did trust him. After what he had done for her, of course she trusted him.

Natsu flashed her a toothy smile then, one that made Lucy's cheeks turn bright red and made her heart skip a beat. She tentatively took his hand, letting him pull her up onto Happy's back.

She settled on his back, waiting for Happy to take off. Natsu then turned around and told her, "Hold on tight." Lucy rolled her eyes when she noticed the mischievous smile on his lips as he turned back around. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around him, knowing that if she didn't, she'd definitely fall off.

"Let's go Happy!" Natsu yelled and the now large cat spread his wings, leaping into the air with a mighty thrust, just before the knights caught up to them.

Tightening her grip on Natsu, her loose embrace turned into a death grip as a mixture of fear and anticipation gathered within her as Happy shot into the sky. Her eyes closed tightly, fearing to look just how up they were flying. If she fell off, she'd surely die, but a small part of her reassured her, _Natsu wouldn't let you fall_.

Lucy's cheeks flushed crimson and she tried to shake away those thoughts. She then heard Natsu call over his shoulder, "It's alright, Luce." She felt him chuckle. "Nothing to be afraid of."

She bit her bottom lip and nodded, but still refused to open her eyes. She frowned as the idea of her suffocating him under her death grip came to mind, but Natsu didn't say a word about it.

Her whole body had grown tense and stiff as all the possible risks of flying so high up in the air began to list off in her mind which had made it almost impossible for her to enjoy the actual ride itself. Yet, not quite. She smiled as she cuddled closer to Natsu's back, ignoring the warning alarms in the back of her head. She just couldn't help but appreciate the warmth of Natsu's back pressed up against her, especially with the wind billowing furiously around them, lowering the temperature noticeably. Lucy knew it was quite shameful of a girl of her class to think such thoughts- such that would surely cause great disapproval from her father- however, at the moment, she couldn't bring herself to care much about them.

The wind suddenly calmed, her long, golden hair not flying in all different directions anymore. A cold mist brushed her face and she slowly opened her eyes to see what was happening.

Her eyes shined in amazement and wonder as wispy clouds embraced her in their dewy wet and she felt shivers shoot down her spin, but they were more from pleasure than from the cold night's breeze. She stared at the beauty that surrounded her in wonder, her eyes wide as they tried to take in every single detail to memory.

Natsu glanced back at her, grinning when he saw her looking around, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide in wonder and amazement. It was like a whole new world, and Lucy was amazed at such beauty. She was entranced by it, the soft warm feeling in her stomach never going away. "So beautiful." She whispered, her head turning to get a full view at her surroundings.

Without thinking, Natsu nodded, answering, "Yeah." But he wasn't looking around them like Lucy was, he was still staring at the blonde girl. His cheeks flushed crimson and he turned around, his eyes wide as he realized what he'd just said and thought.

As they neared a cloud, Lucy raised her hands to feel the substance. It was cold and it felt wet to the touch, but it also sent shocks down her arms, and she enjoyed the rush, giggling as Happy flew through the clouds, making her drop her hands onto Natsu's shoulders.

Her eyes widened when they flew through the clouds until they finally were atop of them. The wind rushed through her hair, leaving a chilled feeling on her nose, lips and cheeks.

Lucy finally glanced down, watching the clouds open. She grinned widely as she realized she could barely make out Crocus below them. It looked so small! This was just so unbelievable! Like she was stuck in a dream that was too good to be true.

Smiling to herself, Lucy slowly slipped her arms back around Natsu's waist, settling her chin on his shoulder, a content sigh escaping her lips as she closed her eyes and leaned against his warm back. "It feels like a dream." She whispered and Natsu turned his head slightly, his cheeks dusting a soft pink color as she cuddled up to him, her head laying comfortably over his scarf. "I'm afraid I'll wake up."

"You're not dreaming, Luce." He assured her, his breath fanning along her cheek, leaving them warm. Lucy's eyes fluttered open and they locked on his. Natsu's eyes widened, but he didn't look away. He was so close, closer than any man had ever been to her. Her heart beat faster and butterflies began to flutter in her stomach when she realized just how close their faces were, and she forced herself to look away. These feelings, they were new too.

Happy lowered them slowly until they were a hundred feet from the ocean waves, and Lucy looked down in amazement. He then slowly weaved his way through abandoned buildings they crossed on their way to Magnolia. They even flew through forests, and towns Lucy had never heard of before, Natsu telling her the names of each town.

The large cat-looking, winged animal would then lift them into the sky, making the wind ripple through Lucy's long hair and Natsu's messy hair. Looking up at the bright stars covering the sky, Lucy gazed in wonder and fascination. The smile on her lips widened. She was glad she had left the Kingdom. Staring at the back of Natsu's pink head, Lucy giggled as his hair tickled her cheek and the nape of her neck. She was also glad her path had crossed with Natsu's.

Being way up here, it was crystal clear, that she was now in a whole new world. She was like a shooting star, she'd come so far, she'd done what she had always deemed impossible. She had escaped the castle's walls, and there was no way she'd go back. Not on her own will.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Love it, like it, hate it? Please leave a review and let me know what you thought of the chapter!**

 **This chapter was again a long one, but I tried to keep their meeting very similar to that of the Manga's/Anime's but also a little similar to Aladdin and Jasmine's. Hopefully you enjoyed the chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! I really have lots of fun writing these chapters, I get to listen to a lot of Disney Movie songs while I'm doing so, lol.**

 **P.S. Happy's transformation is based on deviantart Fan Art by SP-hera! Lovely artist! I wanted him to transform into something that closely resembled Pegasus from Hercules, and this is the closest I could get, since, well, Happy is a cat and not a horse lol. But he's still a winged animal!**

 **A huge thank you to those who took the time to review the last chapter as well as those who followed and favorited the story! It means a lot to me! So again, THANK YOU!**

 **Disclaimer: Fairy Tail is owned by Hiro Mashima! Disney characters, songs, and ideas used in this story are all owned by Walt Disney Studios!**

 **Thanks for reading and until next chapter!**

 **~ Blue ~**


	4. She's Gone

**Once Upon a Fairy Tail**

 **Chapter 4: She's Gone**

 _Take it from an old spectator. Life's not a spectator sport. If watchin' is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without ya. -Laverne (Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame)_

* * *

She was not the Princess of Fiore anymore. She had no more obligations to her Kingdom. She didn't have to get married to a complete stranger. She was just a girl flying on a huge, flying cat, experiencing something new, something amazing.

For a moment, she forgot about her father, about being a Princess, about everything that had happened that day. The thrilling wonder of being so high up from the ground made her forget it all and just enjoy the moment.

Lucy rested her chin on Natsu's shoulder and sighed contentedly. Though she couldn't stop the fear of being found and taken back to the castle, for now she would only enjoy the little freedom she was experiencing.

Natsu glanced back at Lucy and grinned. Her dark brown eyes locked on his and she smiled, and his heart did funny flips in his chest, making him look away. Something churned inside of him and it was very confusing to him. He had never felt like this around anyone else.

They weaved in and out of the clouds for what felt like hours to Lucy. Though at first she had been scared, now she was just experiencing pure bliss. This was what she had always hoped to experience outside the castle's walls. She could only wish she'd be able to experience more amazing adventures.

She stared at the back of Natsu's head and smiled warmly. She hoped she'd be able to continue adventures like these with him. She blushed furiously as soon as that thought crossed her mind, and she tried to shake it away. It was not proper to wish to be with someone she had just met! She was not to feel so comfortable around someone she barely knew! She could just hear her father's words screaming in the back of her head. Looking down she sighed, glancing back at Natsu and smiling softly.

She… she really couldn't help it. Not when it came to Natsu.

Looking up, Lucy stared in awe at the night sky that stretched endlessly and vastly above them, glittering with more stars than she had ever seen before. The moon was large and not quite full, bathing them in a soft and gentle glow. It felt as if she could raise her hands and feel the stars nipping at her fingertips. It was amazing and surreal.

To her disappointment, Happy and Natsu began seeking out a place to land. Lucy glanced down, barely able to make out land below them. She had no idea where they were going to land. Natsu seemed to know, however, so she did not worry and instead rested her temple against his shoulder.

Happy eased them down onto a forest and Lucy looked around in curiosity, but stopped, feeling a little dizzy and instead held tightly onto Natsu and closed her eyes, praying to land safely.

Natsu felt the shivers running up and down Lucy's arm and told Happy, "Please go down gently, buddy."

The huge cat was soon stretching and purring happily, looking down at the grass beneath his paws.

"Are you alright back there, Luce?"

Lucy blinked up at Natsu. He was grinning down at her, glancing at her arms. Her eyes widened and she blushed furiously as she realized that she was still clinging to him like her life depended on it.

"Y-Yes," she stammered as she drew her hands back and towards herself hurriedly. He chuckled, sliding off of Happy with ease and arching his back and rotating his arms once he was standing on his own feet.

He then helped her slide ungracefully from Happy's back. Her knees threatened to give out as soon as she landed, adrenaline and exhaustion making her thighs tremble uneasily. She was not used to sitting in one position for such a long time. She'd taken horse riding lessons back at the castle, but she had never gone for a ride on her horse for longer than an hour or two.

Her face turned a hot, crimson color as soon as she tried standing straight, concern filling Natsu's eyes as he noticed Lucy's legs wobble beneath her. Taking a step towards her, he wrapped a securing arm around the small of her back, preventing her from falling on her face.

She glanced up at him with wide eyes, clinging tightly to Natsu's side to not fall over. It appeared her feet had fallen asleep. She sighed, of course they had.

Lucy then realized that Natsu was still holding onto her and she blinked up at him, blushing a darker shade of red if possible as she noticed his dark eyes focused intently on her. "I'm not used to sitting in one position for such a long time." She admitted sheepishly. "And less on a flying cat," she laughed breathlessly.

"You'll get used to it!" Natsu grinned down at her and she blinked her eyes, realizing just what those words meant. She then smiled, almost sure that she would.

Natsu's arms shifted on her back and Lucy's eyes widened, barely realizing how close they were to each other. His hands slipped from her back and then he cleared his throat, a light pink blush dusting his cheeks. That's when Lucy realized where her hands had landed when she'd almost fallen and Natsu had steadied her.

One hand layed over the fraction of his chest covered by his vest, while the other laid on his exposed chest. His skin was warm under her hand, and she could feel the rhythm of his heartbeats on her palms. Her eyes traveled down his tan chest, drinking in the sight of his chiseled stomach and the strong planes of his chest. Her ears burned with heat as her eyes were drawn to the enticing dip of his waist, angled down into his white trousers. Her eyes widened then and she dropped her hands from his chest and stepped away from him as if she had been burned.

Her heart was beating violently in her chest. "S-Sorry." She whispered. It was improper to touch a man like that! She silently chastised herself as she bit her bottom lip and fiddled with the fold of her skirt, ignoring Natsu's gaze on her. That was not something a proper lady should be doing… She shouldn't be staring like she had… She really couldn't help feeling curious, however, since, well, she had never seen a man this exposed before her.

Natsu looked away from her and scratched the back of his head. "Don't sweat it, Luce." He mumbled. Lucy raised an eyebrow. She could only guess that meant he wasn't mad at her for her improper actions. She sighed in relief.

A bright light blinded her then, and she looked back to where Happy had landed just minutes before. A small, blue cat now stood there instead of the large cat that they had been traveling on. Natsu grinned over at Happy, "Tired, little buddy?"

The cat was only able to nod. "I feel like all my magic has been drained from my body." He yawned. "I really need to sleep. I'm exhausted."

Natsu grinned. "Yeah, thanks Happy." He took the cat in his arms and placed him atop of his head and the cat settled there with a content sigh.

Reaching up to path Happy's back, Lucy smiled at him, thanking him as well.

Yawning loudly, Natsu stretched his arms over his head and glanced down at Lucy, grinning at her as he said, "Let's get going. Our place is not too far from here."

She only nodded, walking closely behind Natsu as she followed after him.

Pulling her coat tighter around her shivering frame, Lucy stepped closer towards Natsu as the cold wind blew past them, making a shiver run down her back. Looking up, the blonde noticed that dark clouds had rolled in, making the full moon no longer visible. She gulped as she realized there wasn't even a visible star in the sky to help guide their way. Her arms trembled and she gulped loudly as she casted a paranoid glance around her surroundings. Not that she could see much. She could barely make out the towering trees around them.

Natsu glanced back at her than, asking, "Everything alright, Luce?"

She forced herself to nod, "Y-yeah." She stuttered out and Natsu raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing her.

Lucy froze then, the sound of the snap of a twig some yards away from them making her breath hitch and making a shiver of terror run down her back. "N-Natsu… D-did you h-hear that?" She stammered out as she rubbed her arms in an effort to keep warm.

Chuckling, Natsu nodded, stopping on his tracks to stare back at the blonde. "Yeah." He watched her eyes widen in terror and his grin widened. "It was probably just some rabbit or a deer passing by. Nothing to freak out about, really."

Biting down onto her lip, Lucy only nodded, her eyes still wide as they regarded her surroundings. Sighing, Natsu walked up to her and wrapped and arm around her, making Lucy gasp at the sudden warmth.

Before she could stutter out anything, Natsu told her, "Close your eyes, Luce. I'll guide you there." Lucy opened her mouth to try and tell him she was fine but he stopped her when he continued by saying, "We're almost there. It won't be long, I promise."

Cheeks flushing a bright red as his eyes caught hers, Lucy was only able to nod, closing her eyes and hiding her face in Natsu's chest, whispering a soft thank you. She felt his chest vibrate as he chuckled and then he softly whispered into the air, "Anything for you, Luce." And her heart just about stopped then. Her eyes opened widely as she stared up at him, her mouth falling open without being able to formulate the correct words to say.

Biting her lower lip, she decided to not say anything as she closed her eyes again and curled onto Natsu's chest, trying to ignore their surroundings. Whatever he'd meant by that, she'd had plenty of time to overthink off later, now, she was just going to enjoy the warmth his body emitting.

"Thank you for everything, Natsu." She then suddenly whispered into his chest without thinking. Her eyes opened widely as she felt him stop and she gulped audibly as she looked up at him, their eyes locking as she did.

He raised an eyebrow as he stared down at her and after a few seconds of that- and Lucy shivering under his gaze- he chuckled and shook his head as he looked up at the dark sky. "It was nothing, Luce."

She blinked her eyes up at him as she repeated softly, "It was… nothing?" He shrugged, still not meeting her eyes and Lucy looked down as she whispered, "It was to me."

A soft night breeze blew past them, Lucy's long locks blowing back and Natsu looked down then, his cheeks turning a soft pink color as he stared at her. "No one has ever done anything like that for me before." She looked up, her brown eyes locking with his. "You saved me. A complete stranger, no less. And for that I am truly grateful to you and Happy."

Natsu's eyes widened as he watched her smile brightly up at him, his heart skipping a beat as he stared at her, his fingers itching to reach out and caress her bright cheeks but he closed his eyes against the urge and curled his fingers up into a fist, his nails digging into his skin almost painfully. Looking down, he was only able to nod at her words and Lucy smiled warmly up at him, curling back on his side as she closed her eyes and allowed him to guide her through the woods.

Some minutes later, they were standing just steps away from Natsu's and Happy's cottage. Lucy opens her eyes as she feels Natsu stop, blinking up at him before she looks around. Her eyes shined in awe as she stared at the old cottage with trees growing from inside of it, coming out from the ceiling. Chuckling, Lucy covered her grinning face with her hand as Natsu fiddled with his keys to get the door to open. Once they were inside, Natsu stepped away from Lucy and she frowned at the loss of his warm body pressed against hers.

Blushing madly at her improper thoughts, Lucy looked down just as Natsu told her, "So, this is our place… Make yourself at home, Luce." He grinned down at her that bright grin of his that gave her butterflies each time he sent it her way and her cheeks turned a bright red before she nodded and looked away.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Natsu then muttered, "You can stay with us for as long as you want, Lucy." Her wide eyes then caught his and his cheeks turned a light pink color before he quickly looked away to place a still sleeping Happy down at the hammock hanging just a few steps away from the fire place. "I know it's not the greatest place and it could definitely use some cleaning…" Lucy smiled down at the floor before she returned to look around the house, sweat dropping at the mess that was their place. Clothes, books, food and boxes lay all around the floor.

Glancing back at Lucy and then quickly looking back at Happy Natsu muttered, "If you feel uncomfortable staying here… I could always ask Lisanna and Mira if they can let you stay with them instead…"

Lucy turned towards him immediately after he said those words, eyes wide as they stared at his back. Before he could turn and head towards the bathroom, Lucy held onto the back of his vest, making Natsu turn back to stare at her with wide eyes.

Looking down, Lucy felt her bangs cover her eyes and she took a deep breath before she whispered, "I want to stay here with you, Natsu." Her heart was beating madly in her chest at those words she had just uttered. She'd never felt more safe and warm than she did at that moment with him. He was different and she didn't want to leave his side. Her hands curled into the folds of her skirt as she contemplated her thoughts.

Grinning widely down at her then, Natsu whispered back an, "Okay."

And Lucy looked up with wide eyes at him, her eyes shining as they stared into his and she smiled back.

Taking her coat off and slipping off her boots, Lucy continued to look around the house while Natsu cleaned one of the two couches in the living room for her to sleep in. Smiling kindly at him as he handed her a blanket for her to use, Lucy then watched as he walked towards the fireplace, puffing fire into it as soon a he crutched in front of the stone.

Lucy's eyes widened in wonder and amazement as she watched him. Walking towards him, Lucy crouched beside him, her eyes still wide as they stared at the fire. Her cheeks flushed as she enjoyed the warmth emanating from the flames. Turning towards Natsu, Lucy smiled brightly up at him as she told him, "Your magic is beautiful."

Blinking his eyes at her, Natsu shook his head as he turned to stare at the fire, grinning widely as he muttered, "You really are a weirdo."

Giggling softly, Lucy sat down beside him, hugging her legs close to her body as she mumbled, "Yeah, maybe I am." She heard him chuckle lowly to himself and she glanced towards him, smiling softly as her eyes fixed for a moment on the way the fire made his skin glow. She couldn't help be momentarily distracted by the sight of him.

He was not the most handsome man she had laid eyes on, but he did something to her heart and stomach that no man had ever done. And as she continued to stare at him, an adorable half-smile appearing on his face as he mumbled that Happy would have loved to hear that, she realized that it was his boyish features what she liked about him.

Feeling her eyelids get heavy, Lucy leaned onto Natsu's side, whispering a soft, "I'm really glad I met you," before her eyelids finally closed and everything went black.

Smiling down at the sleeping blonde, Natsu sighed. "Me too, weirdo." He whispered as he looked out the window, seeing the sun rising.

* * *

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Erza Scarlet sighed as she turned on her side and then on the other. Flipping her long scarlet hair from one shoulder onto the other, she bit her bottom lip and then rolled her eyes before she pulled it all up into a ponytail.

"Trying to get Jellal's attention today, Erza?" Millianna asked from her desk at the back of their small tailor shop in Crocus. She'd been sewing a dress before she looked up and noticed Erza by the end of the room.

Rolling her eyes at her, Erza picked up her coat before she muttered, "Of course not." But her flushed cheeks said otherwise.

Giggling to herself, Millianna nodded and continued on with her work, deciding to not say another word on the topic. And less to her easily angered boss.

Picking up the dress she'd finished sewing the night before, Erza placed it inside of her basket before she called out to Millianna and silently and extremely concentrated on her sewing Kagura, "I'm off to the castle now. I'll see you two later today. Work hard and diligently."

"Of course!" Millianna answered cheerfully while Kagura only nodded and Erza sighed before she stepped out onto the early morning breeze.

A street ahead from Erza's shop, a short blue haired girl stepped out of the local book store with her nose stuck in a book.

Bumping into the a couple of people walking ahead of her, she flushed with color and lowered her head as she apologized and continued on her way to the castle. Watching her from behind, Erza sighed and quickened her steps to catch up to the Princess's tutor.

Tapping on Levy's shoulder, Erza startled her as she finally looked up from the pages of her book, her eyes widening as they caught Erza's.

Realizing who'd stopped her previous activity, Levy smiled brightly at Erza. "Good morning!" Nodding, Erza repeated the greeting as the two walked side by side.

Sighing as she put away her book, Levy mumbled, "Everyday… It's just like the one before, is it not?" She sighed again, her small hands curling on the folds of her skirt as she looked up at the clear, blue sky, dazing off in her own thoughts.

Glancing down at the shorter girl, Erza contemplated her words before she frowned down at her shoes and whispered, "I suppose it is."

Frowning up at the sky, Levy then mumbled, "You know, sometimes I wish for adventure out there somewhere, just like in the books I read. I just… I want something different." Feeling Erza's gaze on her, Levy forced herself to smile as she looked up at her and muttered, "I'm of course not saying that I hate the life I have now… I just… I don't know. I want something more."

Smiling softly, Erza chuckled lightly and Levy blinked her eyes up at her. Staring up at the sky, she said, "Something more you say… I guess I can understand. I… I sometimes feel the same."

Eyes wide, Levy asked, "You do?"

Nodding her head, Erza stared straight ahead as she muttered, "When I stare in the mirror every morning… That's when I realize I don't know who the girl looking back at me is. It's just… not who I truly wish to be… I too want something more."

Blinking down at the book she'd been reading before, Levy smiled softly before she looked up at Erza and said, "Well, we better work hard to get there, now don't we? To get what we really wish for." She winked up at the seamstress and Erza chuckled and nodded.

Walking passed the back entrance of the castle, Levy smiled widely as she greeted all those who'd pass by them. Nodding her head to a few of the castle's workers, Erza enjoyed the cool morning breeze blowing passed her uncovered neck as they continued on their through the castle's gardens.

Her face flushed once they walked passed the training grounds, her eyes widening in amazement and wonder as she heard metal scraping against metal as the knights trained. She could barely see from where they stood, but her eyes still shined with excitement as she witnessed they training. Her fingers itched by her sides to be able to walk past those gates and get ahold of one of their many swords. But the title of a knight… was something that any woman in their Kingdom had ever held...

Sighing to herself as they continued on their way towards the Princess's bedroom, Erza realized that watching their training every morning was as much of being a knight she'd ever get… But, deep inside her, she still wished she'd one day be able to fight for her Kingdom, right beside the man who'd saved her back when she was a child.

Frowning down at her feet, Erza zoned out as they walked down the hallway leading to the Princess's chambers, and so, she bumped into a strong armor.

A pair of strong hands took hold of her shoulders as soon as her head hit his chest, and Erza winced as her gaze darted upwards.

Jellal Fernandes, the Captain of the castle's knights, smiled down at her and Erza's eyes widened and her cheeks flushed with color. "Good morning, Erza." He and she sucked in a breath just as her heart skipped a beat.

Breaking her gaze away from his, she muttered, "Morning."

Chuckling to himself, he turned to continue on his way, stopping and turning around to find a wide eyes Erza looking back at him. Smiling again, he whispered, "Have a nice day."

Smiling to herself, Erza nodded, her hands holding tightly onto her basket. She looked up at him then, their eyes locking for a second before he turned to a stunned and quiet Levy and nodded curtly before he excuse himself, walking down the long hallway.

Her gaze softened as she watched him walk away, sighing softly as she stared at his strong back. She wasn't sure how long she stood there, staring longingly as the double doors he'd used to leave, that was her eyes landed on one of the many mirrors decorating the walls and she frowned at the reflection she saw there.

"Princess!" Erza's thoughts were interrupted as she looked up, her eyes wide as they met Levy's, both hearing the screams up ahead.

They both ran towards the Princess's bedroom, breathless as they regarded the empty bedroom and met the worried gaze of the Princess's personal maid, Yukino Agria.

"What's happened?!" Erza looked back to meet the alarmed gaze of Jellal, his breathing coming ragged as his chest rose and fell. Their wide eyes met for a brief second before they both turned to a crying Yukino.

Looking down in shame and worry, Yukino whispered, "The Princess… She's… She's gone."

Erza looked down and took the note Yukino had extended towards them, crumpling as she finished reading. "We must inform the King of this immediately."

Her eyes locked on Jellal's then and he nodded at their unspoken words before he quickly turned around and yelled to the knights quickly approaching the Princess's chambers, "Search the entire castle! Until further notice, you must not speak of this to anyone outside of the castle! Not until the King orders otherwise!"

* * *

He ran as fast as his legs allowed him to, grinning widely as he looked down at the sparkly and extremely expensive and valuable crown he'd just stolen. He'd definitely make a fortune out of this one! That flame eating bastard surely wouldn't had been able to get his hands on such an important and guarded treasure!

To be honest, no one would have ever been able to steal the Princess's crown if it wasn't for all the guards being distracted as they searched for the Princess herself.

Gray Fullbuster smirked at his luck. He'd always had perfect timing after all.

Yet, he'd of course caught the attention of a pair of knights just when he was about to jump out the window and make his swift escape. Curse his luck!

He was sure if he ran towards the forest he'd lose them, but that sure wasn't his luck. Quite the opposite. More came to join them just as they left the castle's walls!

He could hear them yelling after him, and the cry of their horses as they speeded behind him. Cursing lowly, Gray took a swift turn and turned around, stopping suddenly as he smirked at the fastly approaching knights. Bringing his hands over his head, he whispered, "Ice- Make: Floor!" Bringing his hands down onto the floor, ice began to cover it, the horses crying loudly as they slipped and fell.

Grinning widely, Gray turned and continued his escape.

He soon felt the ground rumbling after him and his hands tightened at his sides at the pounding of the horse's hooves. He needed to find a place to hide and fast.

Looking for a place to hide in his surroundings, Gray's eyes widened when he noticed some bushes and clicked his tongue as his eyes narrowed and he looked back. He had no other option but to try and hide until those damn knights gave up on their chase. Sighing, he knew they wouldn't stop any time soon. It wasn't like he'd stolen some insignificant artifact.

Grumbling to himself, he stepped towards the bushes, plunging his hand in them and parting their branches. Grinning widely, he slipped into the entrance just before the knights rode past them.

Curling his fingers up into a fist, he slammed it into his palm as he called, "Ice- Make: Wall!" Covering the entrance with ice. He smirked. Those castle jerks would not get a hold of him anytime soon!

Turning around, his eyebrows rose as he noticed an opening at the end of the tunnel. Walking towards it, his eyes widened and he stopped as he observed the valley that lay before him.

He looked at the tall tower standing in the middle of the valley, his mouth falling open at just how high it was. Looking back, he gulped audibly before he walked towards the tower. Surely, there had to be some incredible treasure hidden in it! He grinned widely at the thought of this being the castle's secret tower arose. Oh, he'd be making quite a deal out of all the things he'd find!

Hands itching with excitement as he yelled, "Ice- Make: Stairs!"

And just as he'd climbed through the window, he heard someone singing from within the tower, stopping him dead on his tracks as he just sat there, listening to her beautiful voice.

"When will my life begin?" She sang quietly as she swept the floor, looking up at the window then, her beautiful blue eyes locking on Gray's wide ones. The sun shined beautifully on her long, blue hair, her cheeks flushed a pretty pink color and her soft pink lips parting as she regarded the man before her.

Her eyes widened in terror as soon as they caught his, the broom falling to the floor lifelessly as she opened and closed her mouth, not being able to formulate any words.

"Uh…" Gray started, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked around the room. "Miss, I don't mean any harm, I was just…"

"You must leave at once!" The girl than yelled, her hand raising as she stated, "No one must know of Juvia's existence."

And Gray's eyes widened as Juvia yelled, "Water lock!" His eyes became hazy as he stared at her, his throat screaming from the pain as he was unable to breath. He smirked at the strong girl before him as he stretched his hands out as much as he could before the water around him began to freeze, soon breaking free from her magic.

Her eyes widened in both shock and amazement and her hands curled up into fists as she muttered, "You're a mage as well. A strong one, no doubt."

Taking deep breaths, Gray smirked widely at the blue haired girl. "I sure as hell am."

Before either of them could say anything else, their eyes widened and they froze in place as someone just below the tower yelled, "Water woman! The hell is up with that stupid shitty ice wall by the entrance?!" Gray cursed under his breath and his eyes then locked on the frightened and shivering girl before him.

Her cold eyes never left his as she muttered, "It's the work of an intruder." Gray's heart stopped then, his hands curling up into fists, but before he could do anything, she continued, "But I've dealt with that already, Gajeel." She eyed the quiet man before her before continuing, " Is anything the matter?"

A gruff laugh was heard then and the man she'd referred to as Gajeel yelled, "No, just checkin' on ya. The master heard some idiot was runnin' around this area. Apparently, the castle's knights are after his ass. I'll be going now! Gonna search the area myself as well. We don't need anyone running freely around here."

Letting out a breath he'd apparently been holding, Gray was about to thank the woman for not giving him off to her alley, when he felt something hard hit his face. Everything became foggy then as he fell on his back, and the last thing he saw, where her bare feet and the frying pan that fell by his head with a loud bang.

"You've surely come to hide to the wrong place, ice mage." She muttered as she pulled the unconscious man to hide him in one of her many closets. Her master could come any time soon now and she did not want to get herself into any unnecessary trouble. She'd deal with this one herself.

She smiled sadly down to the floor. Maybe… she could have a little bit of freedom by hiding this secret from them all.

Raising an eyebrow, Juvia walked over to the satchel the mage had been holding onto before. Opening it, her eyes widened as the crown shined brightly with the sun's rays.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Hey guys! I know, I haven't updated this story in a VERY long time! But I'm back! And I am so excited to continue writing this story ;)**

 **Hopefully you all enjoyed this chapter! And thank you sooo much to all of you who reviewed, favorited and followed this story! Your support means the world to me!**

 **Songs: Belle from Disney's** _ **Beauty and the Beast**_ **, Reflection from Disney's** _ **Mulan**_ **and When Will my Life Begin from Disney's** _ **Tangled**_ **.**

 **Until next time!**

 **~ Blue ~**


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